Snatches in Time
by OptimisticGirl
Summary: A place for all my little one-shots set in the Days of Future's Past universe. Most of these will be things I wasn't able to include in the time vortex chapters or to expand on things mentioned in the main story that won't be addressed in it or its sequel.
1. Ch 1 Rose Bushes & Treasure Maps

**I mentioned before I was more than likely going to do a separate work of one-shots for the things I wasn't able to include in the time vortex chapters of Days - well, this is it! Everything will be posted under Snatches in Time and it will be set in the universe of my other story, Days of Future's Past. You won't have to have read it to read these but it would make a little more sense and if you do read Days you'll recognise some bits here and there. :) For anyone who has read Days if something was mentioned that you want to see here shoot me a message through here or an Ask over on Tumblr (my tumblr link is in my profile)!**

* * *

 **Rose Bushes & Treasure Maps**

* * *

Snow sighed in exasperation as she made her way through the courtyard, her long white dress billowing behind her in the early spring breeze.

She was hosting a ball in honor of the birth of Anna and Kristoff's third child, Helga, a beautiful red headed girl who had graced her parents with her arrival a mere three weeks ago. Planning celebrations was an aspect Snow had inherited from her own mother. She thrived on the chaos of bringing an event together and watching with a sense of pride as it unfolded before her. Everything was prepared for the grand celebration that night – enough food to feed both Misthaven and Arendelle, the grand ballroom beautifully decorated in an assortment of flowers from her own garden, and enough wine (and rum, as her son-in-law had turned Kristoff onto the drink years ago) to cause the largest hangover the kingdom had seen since the birth of her granddaughter and youngest grandson.

The only thing missing was one little princess who was late for her gown fitting.

When Erin had been born Snow had hoped her granddaughter would be her chance to make up for everything she had missed with Emma. Raising Neal filled a part of that void that had plagued her since Regina's curse had been broken and she thanked every god in every realm that she was given the chance of motherhood again. But there were so many milestones and little moments that could only come from raising a daughter. She had daydreamed of tea parties with stuffed animals, spending hours modelling dresses, and perhaps even teaching her how to sew – all things Snow had done herself with her own mother. Erin, however, had taken after Emma in that regard and at four years old had yet to have the first tea party or sewing lesson. Emma had also passed down her burning hatred for gowns which was why Snow found herself trudging over the large palace lawn in search for her granddaughter who was doing everything _but_ get fitted for the ball tonight.

"Mom?"

Snow looked up to see her daughter walking toward her, blonde hair tied into a messy ponytail, wearing what had become her trademark leather pants and one of Killian's black shirts – although she had more buttons done up than her husband ever did. Liam sat on her right hip, his small hand fisting in the material of his father's shirt as the wind blew his dark locks onto his forehead. When his ocean blue eyes landed on his grandmother they lit up in excitement and the accompanying grin he gave her caused Snow to smile brightly back at her grandson.

"What are you guys doing out here? I thought Liam was spending the day with Anna's boys."

Snow saw the immediate flash of guilt on Emma's face and her heart went out to her daughter. Barely a month had passed since Ursula, at the behest of Maleficent, had kidnapped her youngest grandchildren and taken them to Neverland where Liam had been poisoned with Dreamshade. Emma had refused to let either of her younger children out of her sight their first week back, especially Liam, and even now she found it hard to go even a day without physically seeing that Liam was okay.

"We just decided to have a mommy and son day," Emma replied and Snow nodded in understanding, giving her daughter a comforting smile.

"Of course." Reaching to ruffle Liam's already disheveled locks she added, "Who wouldn't want to spend the day with this handsome guy?"

"Granma!" Liam giggled, the tips of his Elf-like ears turning red. Her youngest grandson clearly hadn't inherited his father's ego – yet.

Emma laughed. "What are you doing? I thought you'd be overseeing every detail of tonight's ball with a fine tooth comb."

"I will be as soon as I find my granddaughter who is currently ducking a gown fitting."

"Uh-oh," Liam said seriously, causing his mother and grandmother to smile. "That bad form."

"Yes it is, Liam," Snow responded, giving her daughter a knowing look. Emma shrugged her shoulders as she fought to contain a smirk.

"I can't really fault her on that, mom. I hate dresses too."

Snow hummed. "And have you been to _your_ dress fitting?"

"Unfortunately," Emma grumbled, shifting Liam's weight on her hip. "The last time I saw Erin was a couple hours ago. She was in the library with Belle studying a piece of parchment with a large X on it. "

Snow groaned - wonderful. That meant her granddaughter could be anywhere. Since the day she had learned to talk Erin had been very vocal about wanting to be a pirate – _"Just like daddy, granma!"_ – when she grew up, much to her grandfather's dismay. Six months prior Killian had started drawing little maps for her to follow – _"Every good pirate needs to know how to find buried treasure, lass."_ – always ending with her finding a little trinket or a doubloon. Normally Snow found it endearing but with so much still needing to be overseen for the ball and Erin missing her dress fitting the Queen of Misthaven was on the verge of rapping her son-in-law upside the head for doing a treasure hunt on today of all days.

"Any idea where he sent her to?" she asked her daughter. Emma shook her head.

"That's his little thing with her. I just smile and nod whenever she shows me what 'booty' she found."

Snow sighed and was about to head in the direction of Killian's study when she saw something out of the corner of her eye. Pushing her windswept hair from her face she turned to look toward her garden.

"What was that?"

"What was what?" Emma asked, turning to follow her mother's line of sight. Both women stood in silence and just as Emma started to ask her mother was she seeing things they both saw it – dirt flying from Snow's rose bushes.

"What the-"

"I swear to the Gods," Snow growled, already marching toward where more dirt was flying, "If that's Scarlet's dog digging in my roses again I'm going to rip his heart out myself. Will's - not the dog's."

Emma simply chuckled as she followed her mother across the manicured lawn toward the rose bushes wrapping around the low stonewall that designated Snow's massive garden. She never knew about her mother's obsession with flowers until they moved back to the Enchanted Forest, the loft in Storybrooke not giving the former bandit adequate room to really grow anything other than windowsill pots. In their short four years here Snow had turned the dead enclosure into a vibrant jungle of just about every kind of flower imaginable. Emma was sure some of them had been magically planted by Regina but the former Evil Queen simply raised an eyebrow whenever it was brought up.

As they neared the spot where dirt was now steadily flying from between two bushes Emma heard soft muttering followed by a sudden cry of triumph. Stepping next to her mother she found both eyebrows rising at the sight before them.

"Erin Margaret Jones, just what do you think you are doing?" Snow scolded.

Erin, who was on her hands and knees in the dark soil, looked up from the small hole she was digging in. The ponytail Emma had pulled her hair into earlier that morning was coming undone, blonde tendrils falling into her chubby face. Green eyes the same shade as her mother's stared up at the fuming face of her grandmother with a mixture of confusion and annoyance. Huffing in that way only a child can she sat back on her legs, small soil covered hands coming up to her waist and dirtying her pristine white shirt.

"Diggin' for buried treasure, _obviously_ granma," the four-year-old responded with every ounce of sass she had inherited from her father, even rolling her eyes like he did when he was dealing with someone incompetent.

Emma bit her lip to keep from laughing as her mother fumed next to her, the Queen's face turning a bright red as she fought between responding to her granddaughter and storming off to take her rage out on her son-in-law. Finally making her mind up Snow turned to her daughter, green eyes flashing.

" _You_ can deal with the Killian Jones sass while I play target practice with a pirate."

Fighting a squirming Liam who wanted down to play in the dirt with his sister Emma watched her mother march toward the castle and her unsuspecting husband. "What did you find?" she asked her daughter, noting Erin's attention was already back to her 'buried treasure' before Snow had taken three steps. Erin pulled a small wooden box from the hole and tossing its lid aside with a flourish – _such a pirate_ – she beamed as she held up a small silver necklace with a rounded stone that Emma was sure matched the one nestled on her own engagement ring.

"Great find! Now refill the hole and lets get you to your dress fitting."

"Momma!" Erin cried, her face falling in betrayal.

"Remember what we talked about, kid? Grandma doesn't ask a lot of us and this is one thing you and I can deal with every so often to appease her. That's good form, right?"

"Yes ma'am," Erin mumbled. Tucking her newfound treasure into her pocket she quickly shoved the disturbed dirt back into place. Picking up the box she hurried to her mother's side and with her dirt covered hand grasped Emma's hand.

Later that evening when she asked her husband if the earful he had gotten from her mother (and judging by the redness of his non-earring wearing ear it hadn't just been words exchanged) was worth it her pirate had simply nodded in the direction of their daughter who was showing off her newly found treasure to her Uncle Will with a beaming smile and twinkling eyes.

"Aye, Swan. Completely worth it."

He never did bury treasure in Snow's garden again, however.


	2. Ch 2: The Forgetting Curse, Part 1

**This is a birthday present for my amazing friend phiralovesloki (if you haven't read any of her work go to my favorite authors and find her!). She mentioned waaayyyy back wanting to know more about Zelena's curse that is briefly mentioned in Chapter 17 so I thought her birthday would be a lovely time for her to find out! This SHOULD be no longer than 3 parts but my muse tends to get away from me...**

 **As always enjoy, and reviews/favorites/follows feed the muse!**

* * *

 **The Forgetting Curse, Part 1**

* * *

Slowly blinking her eyes open into a sun filled bedchamber Emma smiled as memories from the previous night came flooding back.

It had been one of those rare days with no attacks from Ingrid, no pressing state emergency that required Killian to be holed up in meetings with high ranking Navy officials all day, and relatively low situations for her to deal with as the sheriff - Sneezy and Bashful had still caused their weekly ruckus over damn flowers that lead to physical blows. Since Ingrid had been released from her magical urn two years prior there was barely a day when they weren't dealing with her attacks and Emma had taken advantage of the respite. After dinner she had read Hope a few bedtime stories as Erin helped Killian with something on the _Jolly_ and then taken a long bath, soaking in the silence of the castle as everyone prepared for bed. Hearing Killian moving around their bedchamber she had donned an almost see through nightgown, completely taking her husband by surprise as she entered the room - not that he had complained, of course.

Stretching she felt the pleasurable burn from their nightly activities - all three times - and her skin still tingled with all the kisses her husband had placed over it. While sex wasn't rare for them - they may have been married for twenty-six years but their sex life was still as active as it had been in the beginning - it was rare for them to have an entire night to enjoy each other uninterrupted from Snow Queen attacks or their granddaughter stealing into their bed.

Feeling Killian stir behind her she turned to see her husband lying close to her on their large four poster bed, his chest steadily rising and falling. He always looked so peaceful when he was asleep, the centuries of revenge and loss melting away to reveal a calm and happiness that made him look years younger. She loved all aspects of her husband - the hardened pirate captain, the loveable father, goofy friend - but this was her favorite. Seeing him completely relaxed warmed her heart like nothing else and her fingers twitched to move the dark hair that was falling over his forehead.

"Stop staring, Swan."

She smiled as her husband opened his eyes, their brilliant blue shining in the morning sunlight momentarily taking her breath away. There were days she still couldn't believe she was lucky enough for this man to be hers, wholly and completely, and that he loved her unconditionally.

Smirking she said, "I can't help it that my husband is so devilishly handsome."

A dark eyebrow rose as he smiled. "You think I'm devilishly handsome?" he teased, voice still rough with sleep.

"I think what we did last night is proof I do, Mr. Jones."

"Indeed," Killian hummed in agreement, turning on his side to face her so he could skim his hand over her hip. She had to bite her lip as the warmth radiating from his touch sent a shiver down her spine. "Care to show me this proof again, Mrs. Jones?"

She laughed, bringing her hand up to run through his chest hair, her engagement ring sparkling as the sunlight danced on it. "Did I not show you enough last night?"

A feral grin spread on his face. "I can never have enough of you," he growled, tugging her flush against him. She went willingly, desire pooling low in her belly as she felt him stirring against her thigh and she couldn't stop the moan of want as his hand curved on her backside, squeezing appreciatively. Brushing her nose with his he whispered hotly against her lips, "And it seems you can't get enough of me, love."

"Killian we can't-" she trailed off on another moan as her pirate husband gave a non-too gentle thrust of his hips as he smirked at her.

"Ah, but we can, Swan." Sliding his hand up he tugged the sheet from between them, exposing her breasts to his appreciative gaze in the process. "You see, I know you don't have any meetings planned for this morning," he murmured, fingers brushing the underside of her breast. "I have no pressing business-"

"Killian…"

"There's no wee one in between us right now," he continued, thumb brushing her already hardened nipple as he gave another thrust of his hips. "And I feel like showing my wife some proof of how devastatingly sexy she is. Is that okay with you, Swan?"

Emma gasped as he rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, his dark head ducking down so he could nip along her jaw. They really shouldn't do this - someone was bound to come looking for them soon despite neither of them having someplace to be - but he was playing her body perfectly, her desire growing until all she could think about was the pleasure he was bringing her.

"Aye, aye, Captain," she breathed, giggling as he rolled her onto her back with a growl. Her fingers came up to thread in his disheveled hair, her lips meeting his as he settled into the cradle of her thighs. This was another aspect of her husband she loved - the wanting, the man who could barely keep his hands off her and who never failed to show her how much he desired her. He was well on his way to doing that now, the gentle but firm thrusts of his hips bringing her closer to the edge and he hadn't even taken her yet, his lips leaving a trail of fire as he worked his way down her body.

He had just reached her heaving breasts, his mouth on a course for a hardened nipple when they both heard a soft giggle.

Killian froze, blue eyes darkened with lust looking up at her as she sighed, the corner of her mouth curling up in amusement despite the cold bucket of water that had just been thrown over her desire. Peeking over her husband's shoulder she saw their four year old granddaughter standing in the doorway, her stuffed crocodile clutched in her small arms. Thankfully their bedchamber door was situated facing the bottom of their bed and Killian's body blocked what they had been attempting to do.

No need to scar their granddaughter just yet.

"Hope, what are you doing up?" she asked as Killian rolled back to her side, covertly moving the thin sheet to cover her chest as he did before she sat up. The dark haired little girl pushed their bedchamber door open all the way, running the short distance to their bed and jumping on it.

"Mama had to go to grandpa's ship and papa told me to come wake you up for breakfast."

"I'm sure he did," Killian grumbled, adjusting the sheet to better obscure his lower half from their granddaughter.

Emma swatted at her husband's arm playfully before looking back to their granddaughter. "We're awake, bug. Let grandpa and I get dressed and-"

Leroy's sudden and frightened shouting from the direction of the courtyard had Hope's eyes going wide as Emma sighed in exasperation. She gave her husband a knowing look.

"That's never a good sign."

* * *

Tying the last of the lines down on her father's ship Erin wiped at her sweaty brow, looking out at the clear horizon.

It was a beautiful day, one she could really pause and appreciate since their was no imminent attack from the Snow Queen. The sky was clear, not a cloud in sight, and the ocean was calm. It was the perfect day to take Hope out for another sailing lesson - Gods knew she had been begging for weeks to go sailing again. She knew her father couldn't say no to the idea, not with her and Hope ganging up on him. They would obviously need to take precautions with the Snow Queen still lurking about but a simple cloaking spell from her mother could take care of that.

They hadn't had a spontaneous family sailing trip since Ingrid started her attacks and she missed those days - the raised eyebrow and knowing look in her father's eye over the breakfast table, her mother's eye roll but smile of approval, dashing to get ready and spending the entire day on the open ocean with her family. Some of her fondness memories growing up were helping her father as her mother sat on deck with Liam, the wind in her hair and the smell of ocean surrounding her. If the Snow Queen's attacks held off for they really should go out. Eric was due back from Wonderland any day now and as soon as he landed they needed to head to Camelot to help Arthur find a missing artefact, a trip that was going to take a minimum of two or three weeks.

Throwing the spare rope to the side she turned to head back to the castle when her heightened sense of smell went off. She could still smell the ocean but there was another scent on the wind, one she had never smelled before - dark and animalistic, reminding her of the Hell Hounds Morgana had kept as pets. She was about to turn when the unmistakable sound of large, flapping wings reached her and on instinct Erin dived to the side, hearing something claw at the barrels she had just been standing next to her. Rolling along the enchanted wood of the _Jolly_ she looked up to see who her attacker was and froze.

A flying monkey was circling back to her, large wings carrying its body effortlessly through the hair, clawed hands at the ready and fangs bared.

She had never encountered a flying monkey in her entire life. She only knew of them through the pages of Henry's storybooks - first the original one and then her parent's book - but the one heading directly for her was an almost exact representation of the ones she had seen in those books. Only this one wasn't a harmless painting on parchment, this one clearly meant to kill her.

As the flying primate made another dive for her she rolled to the side again, barely escaping its sharp talons in time. Her mind raced through the stories Henry and her father had told her about these creatures and she knew the only way to stop it was to kill it. She didn't have her sword on her though - the rare day of no attacks had caused her to relax her normal stance of permanently having one at her side - and there was no way she could get to the weapon's store aboard the _Jolly_ in time. Dodging another attack from the flying monkey she frantically searched the deck but any item she could use for a weapon meant getting too close to her attacker and Erin knew what would happen if those claws scratched her skin.

Grabbing one of the spare sail cloths her father kept on deck she waited for the next attack, green eyes following the flying primate until it was feet in front of her. Throwing the sail up just as the flying monkey reached her she darted for the helm, boots racing across the wooden deck. She could hear her attacker fighting to untangle itself from the sail just as she reached the stairs, it's shriek of anger ringing out over the docks.

She propelled herself toward the helm as the sound of wings flapping approached her and Erin pushed the mechanism behind the wheel that would pop open the secret compartment on the side of the helm. Reaching into it she withdrew the pistol her father always kept there and turned, raising the gun with seconds to spare before the flying monkey was on her. The shot rang out in the quiet morning, the Oz minion disintegrating into dust mid air.

Breathing heavily Erin lowered her father's gun.

"What the hell?!"

* * *

After sending Hope to to the nursery to change out of her nightgown Emma and Killian had quickly dressed themselves, all prior lustful thoughts banished in the sound of the castle coming alive around them. Guards shouted orders and booted feet echoed up and down every hallway as they jogged toward the War Room hand in hand, twin looks of pensiveness on their faces. Emma hadn't seen the castle staff in such a frenzy since Morgana attacked them years ago and a sense of unease settled in the Savior's gut as the two of them walked into the War Room.

The room was in chaos. Her father stood at the large wooden table with two high ranking members of his land army on either side of him, the three of them studying a vast array of charts that were hastily scattered on the table. Belle was leafing through a large book, her brows drawn tight as she frantically turned the pages looking for something. Her mother and Regina were stood off to the side in what looked like a heated discussion, the normally put together Regina almost frazzled, magic sparking at her fingertips as she gestured wildly.

"What the hell is going on?" Emma asked as her and Killian made their way to the War Table.

"Zelena," David answered with a quick glance at his daughter and son-in-law.

Both of Emma's eyebrows shot to her hairline in surprise. "What?" That was a name she hadn't heard in over two decades, not since Oliver Hood had been born in the Oz forest and been used as a bargaining chip by his insane birth mother.

David looked at his daughter's bewildered face. "The green skinned witch who made our lives a living hell twenty some odd years ago? You remember her, right?"

Emma sighed. She wasn't even surprised anymore when things like this happened. "How? We put her in that magical prison in Oz right after Oliver was born."

"She broke out," Regina growled, stalking towards the round table with all the rage that had caused her to cast a curse almost sixty years ago. "We don't know how or who helped her but she's free."

Killian frowned in thought. "Was that prison not inescapable due to a spell you cast on it, your Highness?"

"He's right," Emma noted, "You used blood magic to seal her in that prison, the only way Zelena could have escaped was if someone related to her broke the spell."

"That's clearly not the case Mrs. Jones because I know _I_ didn't free her and there's no way in hell Oliver got close to her to do it. We're her only remaining blood family."

"Nothing is more powerful than blood magic, Regina."

"Which is why we're looking into alternatives that could have broken it," Belle said, looking up from her book. "Rumple went to his old vault to see if there is an answer but so far, we've found nothing that could explain how blood magic is broken by a non-relative."

"And she's headed right for us," Snow cut in. "Leroy spotted a few of her flying monkey minions while on a patrol in the forest and raced back here to warn us."

"How large of a following are we talking?" Killian asked, falling into the role of pirate-turned-Admiral in seconds.

"It's a small army," David answered, dismissing the two high ranking soldiers as Killian came to stand beside his father-in-law. "Leroy only saw a handful of them before he came but scouts we've sent out since have reported back at least a hundred of them."

"And that number will only grow the closer she gets here," Regina stated, her lips thin with anger. "All it takes is for a flying monkey to scratch one person for every ten she encounters and she'll have an army that will rival your numbers, Charming."

Snow shook her head. "I thought we cured all her minions when we imprisoned her?"

"We did," Emma replied as she leaned her hands on the War Table, "All except for one."

"Zelena's right hand man," Belle mummered. "He was the first one she turned and nothing short of Zelena's death can change him back."

"I should have murdered her when I had the chance," Regina growled, her magic once again sparking at her fingertips.

Killian looked at his wife. "Did we not imprison the flying monkey as well?"

Emma nodded. "But if Zelena was able to get out of her prison she easily could have freed him." Looking at her mother she asked, "How far away are they?"

"Five miles at most and the scouts said they show no sign of slowing down."

"And we know she won't," Belle replied. "The thing she wants most is here."

Emma sighed, letting her head fall forward as the sounds of her father and husband devising a military response filled the room alongside Belle's page flipping and Regina's continued curses. Belle was right. Zelena wouldn't stop until she reached Oliver, even if it meant leveling the entire castle to do so.

Twenty-six years ago Emma had brought who she believed to be Marian back through the time portal, unable to let an innocent woman die if she had the opportunity to save her. Robin, whose relationship with Regina had only just started, had obviously been conflicted when his late wife returned from the dead and in his haste to do the right thing had recommitted himself to Marian, sending Regina into a tail spin of anger and misery. In the days following Marian's arrival in Storybrooke a frightened Elsa had lashed out at residents, accidentally hitting Marian with her magic and freezing her heart. The only way to save Robin's wife had been to send her over the town line into a world without magic and Robin had reluctantly followed.

Only months later when Emma, Killian, and Regina had went in search of Maleficent's long lost daughter had they learned the horrible truth - Marian wasn't really Marian. She was Zelena, using an Oz trinket to disguise herself as Marian, the wicked witch hell bent on ruining her half-sister's life. Her true identity wasn't the only bombshell she had dropped on them - Zelena was pregnant, a fact that had complicated Regina and Robin's relationship for the next seven months until Zelena tried to escape to Oz, the magic backfiring and sending all of Storybrooke to Camelot. The wicked witch had ran to Oz where she had given birth and after a tense battle where Oliver's life had been at risk, Regina and Emma had managed to trap her with Regina using blood magic to ensure Zelena could never get near Oliver.

And now she was free, her decades long rants of getting her son back and ruining all their lives meaning only one thing - she was headed right for them, angry and hell bent on revenge.

"Swan?"

Emma looked up, blinking in surprise at her husband who was suddenly no longer on the opposite side of the table but right next to her with his eyebrows furrowed in concern.

"What?"

"I asked if you were alright, love. You seemed to go to another realm there for a short while."

Emma smiled at her husband. "Yeah, I'm fine... Just remembering how this mess with Zelena started."

Killian nodded his head in understanding, his face a mask of seriousness. "I thought for a moment you might have changed your mind."

"About what?" she asked, more than a little confused as to what her husband was talking about.

She watched him lick his lips nervously, his hand coming up to twirl a loose lock of her hair around his index finger. "Well, what with the arrival of the flying monkies, I worried this old pirate would be cast aside for one of them… considering your history with their kind."

Emma stared at her husband in utter bewilderment until she saw the corner of his lips twitch up, blue eyes shining brightly with mischief. And then it hit her - he was ribbing her for almost marrying Walsh who had, in fact, been a flying monkey. She smacked his arm playfully.

"Only you would make a 'almost married a flying monkey' joke when we're about to be attacked by a crazed witch."

Killian grinned wildly. "I have to keep you on your toes, love. You _did_ almost marry a flying monkey."

Emma rolled her eyes. "Instead I ended up marrying an ancient pirate with an affinity to leather who-"

"Anyone want to explain to me why a bloody flying monkey just attacked me?"

Emma and Killian turned at the sound of their daughter's irritated voice, watching as Erin breezed through the War Room doors with her father's pistol in her right hand.

"You were attacked?" Emma asked in concern, her eyes instantly cataloging her daughter for physical injuries.

"Bloody flying primate came at me when I was on the _Jolly_ ," Erin huffed as she sat the pistol down on the War Table. "I was barely able to fight the thing off so I could get to dad's gun."

"They shouldn't be that close yet," Snow whispered, looking toward her husband.

"I'm sure it's just scouts Zelena has sent ahead," David said, hoping to sooth his wife's nerves.

Erin blinked in confusion. "Who shouldn't be?"

"Zelena," Emma sighed.

Erin's eyebrows shot up to her hairline. "Zelena? The woman who was responsible for Henry's father's death, the time portal you and dad fell through, and the entire Camelot fiasco?"

"That would be the one, love," Killian confirmed.

Erin looked at her mother. "I thought she was imprisoned in Oz?"

"Long story short, she escaped and is on her way here."

Erin nodded in understanding. "For Oliver, I presume?"

"That's what we believe, ychydig môr-leidr."

Erin bit her lip. "With an army of flying monkeys?" she asked, barely able to restrain the laughter from her voice.

Emma gave her daughter a knowing look as the familiar purple cloud of smoke denoting Rumple's arrival appeared in her peripheral vision. "Your father has already made a 'engaged to a flying monkey' joke Erin Jones, I don't need a double dose of the Killian Jones sass to-"

"Rumple!"

At Belle's shout of distress everyone turned to see the former Dark One stood near the armour section of the War Room, holding his right side while leaning heavily on his cane, blood trickling from an open wound on his left temple. He made to move forward but stumbled, Belle catching him as she dashed to his side.

"What happened?" Snow asked in concern as she moved to help Belle seat Rumple.

"Zelena is what happened," Rumple grunted, wincing as he sat heavily in one of the chairs. His face was drawn tight with pain and for the first time since she had met him all those years ago, he truly looked his age to Emma.

Regina whipped around at the mention of her half-sister, eyes narrowing. "What do you mean Zelena?"

"Exactly what I said, dearie," Rumple snapped. "I was in my vault trying to figure out why _your_ blood magic failed," - Emma was almost certain she was going to have to stand in between the two of them at the murderous look Regina threw Rumple - "When who should show up? Your sister."

"How did she even know you were there?" David inquired as he looked up from one of the maps on the table.

"No idea," the former crocodile grunted, "But she attacked hard and fast - I'm fairly certain she broke a few of my ribs."

"Oh poor crocodile," Killian muttered, earning him an elbow from his wife, a narrowed look from his children's Godmother, and a snort of agreement from his daughter.

Snow shook her head. "Why attack you in your vault? She couldn't have known you were going to even be there."

Rumple grimaced as Belle continued to clean the wound on his side. "I wasn't the target, dear Snow White. Nothing was the target."

Emma started to ask him what the hell that meant and did he really need to speak in riddles when Regina came a few steps closer, lips thin and eyes flashing.

"What was she after, imp?"

"A curse."

Emma couldn't stop her eye roll if her life had depended on it. _Of course it was another curse_. When were they not plagued by curses? At this rate she was going to remain thirty physically for the next twenty years!

David sighed. "What curse?"

"It's called the Forgetting Curse," Rumple began, groaning as Belle began dressing his side wound. "It was created centuries ago by the first Dark One. It's main ingredient is water from the river of forgetfulness in the Underworld and the curse does exactly as it sounds, dearie - it makes you forget everything. You're free to be rewritten however the caster sees fit. None of us will remember who we are or who we love." Eyes filled with pain swept over the group. "Relationships will be altered, even the strongest bonds of parent and child can be rewritten by this curse."

"What are you saying?" Erin whispered as she felt the familiar presence of her father's hook at her back.

"That when this curse is cast Zelena can rewrite everyone's memories, making it so that you may know your children but you'll believe them to be something else - sister, friend, enemy. Zelena has complete control over who we will think we are."

Snow gasped. "She's doing this to rewrite history… so that Oliver will think she raised him and she can have her son."

"And you cast a curse to take us to another land when all you had to do was cast this one," David muttered to Regina. The former Evil Queen ignored the jab, her attention focused solely on Rumple.

"How do we break it?"

"We don't."

"There's always a way, Rumple," Regina growled. "Every curse has a back door, something that can break it. You even created the curse I cast with Emma as the safety feature."

Rumple shook his head. "This one doesn't have one, your majesty. Not that I'm aware of."

"What about True Love's Kiss?" Belle asked, pausing in wiping the blood from her husband's head. "It's powerful enough to break any curse, right?

"In theory, yes," Regina answered, "But the crux of the situation is we won't remember who we are-"

"And the kiss doesn't work unless both parties remember who they are," Snow finished.

"Aye, Dave and I have had our own run ins with that clause of the kiss," Killian muttered, his hand momentarily tightening in his wife's grasp as he remembered his failed attempt after trading his ship to find her all those years ago.

"So there's nothing we can do?" Erin asked in desperation, "Nothing that can break the curse?"

Rumple grimaced as Belle finished tending to his head wound. "The only one who might possibly know of a way to break it is Merlin."

Regina nodded. "Fine, I'll translocate to Camelot and have a word with the Sorcerer-"

"You can't."

Emma raised both eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"Zelena cast a protective barrier over all of Misthaven. No magic can escape the kingdom, meaning translocation between kingdoms is rendered useless."

Sharing a look Regina and Emma both tried to translocate, each feeling the familiar pull of their magic before it was quickly doused like water over a fire. Emma gaped at the former Dark One. "That's impossible!"

"Is the witch really that powerful?" Erin asked.

Rumple nodded. "Zelena is a very powerful witch, one who never explored her full potential." Looking at Regina he finished, "And now she has the perfect opportunity to do so."

Belle frowned. "But Rumple… you translocated here."

"She was still in the midst of casting the barrier when I did, otherwise I'd be stuck in that vault."

"So you came here instead of going to Camelot to find answers?" Regina shouted, anger boiling over.

"Forgive me, _dearie_ ," Rumple growled, "But I thought to warn you of the impending curse!"

"When is she going to cast it?" Emma asked, her mind reeling with the implications. There was a curse coming and they had no way of stopping it, no way of saving themselves once it took full effect. Her children and grandchildren would be vulnerable, open to whatever fate Zelena thought they deserved to 'remember'.

"Soon," Rumple responded. "I'm sure she's casting it as we speak."

* * *

Hope. She had to get to Hope.

That was the prevailing thought running through Erin's mind as she raced down the castle corridors, her heart hammering against her chest. A curse that they had no way of breaking could be barrelling toward them and every fiber in her body was screaming at her to get to her daughter. She had run from the War Room without a second thought when Rumple told them Zelena had probably already cast the curse, needing to have her daughter in her arms before everything turned upside down.

Bursting through the nursery door her eyes frantically swept the room until she found Hope sitting in the floor beside the bookcase, Henry's original story book open in her lap. Blue eyes looked up at her in confusion.

"Mama?"

Standing there looking at her innocent raven haired little girl Erin's heart broke at the futility of their situation. There had to be something they could do. Regina was right - every curse she had ever heard of had a back door, a way to break it when all hope should be lost. Rumple had went to great things to use her own mother as a means to break a curse, weaving the necessary steps long before she was born. Surely this curse had a way to be broken even when True Love's Kiss wasn't an option. Rumple had mentioned Merlin possibly knowing but there was no way they could get to him to ask and even if Erin made it to her father's ship she wouldn't make it out of the kingdom before the curse hit, despite her being as good a sailor as her him. There was no one they could reach….

Eric.

Erin exhaled the breath she hadn't realised she was even holding. Eric could save them. He was in Wonderland with her Uncle Will and Elizabeth and according to Rumple the only kingdom that would be affected by the curse would be the Enchanted Forest. Eric would remember and be able to reach out to Merlin for help. She was about to grab Hope and go find her parents to let them know when a movement beyond the balcony doors caught her attention. A dark green cloud was rushing over the land, obscuring everything from view and her eyes widened in horror.

It was the curse. Zelena had cast the curse and it was headed right for them.

Moving quickly she scooped a still confused Hope up and ran from the nursery, her mind turning over every option to reach Eric. The tokens she had for Jefferson and the White Rabbit wouldn't work, not with Zelena's magical barrier in place. If it was constructed anything like the one her mother and Regina had placed over the castle after Matthew's death it meant no one could enter it through magic of any kind, translocation or portal opening. She couldn't leave him a note when she didn't know what Zelena's plan for her and her family was. There was no other way for her to send him a message. Except…

Clenching her jaw in determination she changed direction, sprinting up the staircase that led to her grandmother's aviary. She was a Jones dammit - surviving the impossible was in her blood. She may not escape the curse but she could insure they had a fighting chance to break it. She just needed time and she prayed to every deity she knew to give her just five more minutes.

Shoving open the aviary door with her shoulder she ran to the back of the large domed room where her grandmother's prized messenger birds sat, the faint sound of people shouting reaching her. Sitting Hope on the small table next to the bird cage she grabbed the nearest piece of parchment and quill, quickly scribbling a note before rolling the message. Opening the cage door she gently coaxed one of the birds onto her finger, her hands shaking as she tied the small piece of parchment to one of its legs.

"Find Eric D'Harper," she whispered as she reached one of the windows, releasing the bird as the curse continued to come just yards from them. Rushing back to Hope she took her daughter's face in her hands, blinking back tears as she stared into those cerulean blue eyes so much like her father's.

"I love you," she whispered, "Never forget that ladybug."

She kissed her daughter's forehead and then everything went dark.

* * *

Eric sighed in relief as he pulled into the royal docks, grateful to see the familiar towers of the Charming castle looming above him.

He'd been in Wonderland for the better part of two weeks helping Will and Ana navigate a peace treaty with his home kingdom, an act he hadn't been looking forward to since Charming came to him with the request. He was a pirate captain, not a diplomat, and although he had entered into the royal family's service many times over the last few years it had never been in this role. He helped Erin locate dangerous items, relishing in the open road of adventure - not broker peace treaties in stuffy rooms with ambassadors.

It was more than that though. None of the Charmings knew the true story behind his past - only two people in the entire realm other than himself knew his origins - and they couldn't have known what asking him to do this would cost him emotionally. But Charming had asked, everyone else needed on the home front to deal with Ingrid's sporadic attacks, and he had been unable to deny the request from the woman he loved's grandfather. He had sat through two weeks of endless meetings that began before dawn and stretched well into the witching hour, helping Ana and Will navigate the murky waters of what his home kingdom called peace. It had been emotionally exhausting to sit there and listen to the once honorbound kingdom he had grown up in spew lie after lie and false promises, all in the name of creating a less hostile environment.

All he wanted was a hot meal and to put his feet up in front of a fire, preferably with a bottle of rum beside him before he and Erin left for Camelot.

Locking the wheel in place he moved to diminish the sails when a bird flew in and landed atop the helm, chirping as dark eyes stared up at him. He was about to shoo the the animal away - he'd had enough of animals after the Cheshire Cat made it his duty to annoy him every day of his stay in Wonderland - when he saw the small piece of parchment tied to the bird's foot. Intrigued he gently untied the message, the bird flying upwards toward the castle the moment its package was delivered. Frowning he unrolled the parchment, green eyes quickly scanning its short contents.

 _Zelena is casting a curse. We can't stop it. None of us will remember who we are. Find Merlin and be careful._

Bloody hell!


	3. Ch 3: The Parallels of Love

A little (and very belated) birthday present for my red velvet cupcake and D'Jones supporter, xpumpkindumplingx!

* * *

The Parallels of Love

* * *

"Wrist up!"

Erin cursed under her breath as she disengaged her sword from her father's cutlass and took a few steps back to catch her breath. She had discarded her vest some time ago, her dark blue shirt sticking to her uncomfortably as sweat poured down her body in rivulets. It was midday, the sun high overhead and although it was quite cool for a Spring day it felt as hot as Summer, evidence of the fencing match her and her father had been in for the last few hours. She hadn't planned to spend her Saturday morning trading sword strikes with her father - she had intended to get some research done on the latest artifact she had been charged with collecting - but an early morning run-in with Eric D'Harper had left her fuming and on the verge of punching the pirate captain in his all too handsome face.

Not that she thought he was handsome. _At all_.

Huffing in annoyance, her mind wandered to their morning altercation and her reason for needing to let off some steam as she fought to even her breathing.

* * *

Erin made her way down the familiar corridors of her home, smiling in greeting to the castle staff and guards she passed while she mulled over the new information they had received on Ingrid. After dropping a still half asleep Hope off with her Aunt Belle she had attended the morning War Council meeting, something that had unfortunately become the norm since the Snow Queen's attacks started two years ago. She could remember a time when years would go by without the War Council being needed, only gathering when a new villain arose or war was on the brink of breaking out in a neighboring kingdom and the Charmings needed to plan how best to end or aide the conflict. Now it was a daily thing, sometimes multiple as Ingrid's attacks grew in frequency and ferocity.

And they were growing. She still hadn't directly attacked the castle - not that she would have been able to do so with the protection shield Erin's mother and Regina put up four years prior - but she was getting bolder. The Snow Queen had only been hitting the villages and towns on the outskirts of Misthaven's border the last few years, rarely venturing further into the kingdom but now she had attacked a series of villages that were a good 100 miles inland and left almost no survivors. They didn't know why she had changed tactics or even what Ingrid's end plan was but it was clear Ingrid had tired of playing the cat and mouse game.

Rounding the corner that lead to the royal family's personal rooms, Erin shook her head. There was no need for her to dwell on the Snow Queen's reasoning or the information of her new attacks, not when there was nothing she could do about it and she had other pressing matters to attend to. Her grandmother had handed her a new assignment a few days ago, a report of a wizard in the far Northern kingdom of Narnia who had possession of some type of wand that could create alternate realities and he was abusing its power. She needed to research the magical properties of the wand before she stole it from him - she had learned the hard way as a child not to just pick up a magical object without knowing how it worked - and the kingdom itself. She had only been to Narnia once but she had been but a child then, only vaguely remembering the cold wind and snow as her head rested against the leather of her father's great coat. She was going to need her Aunt Belle's help with research after she grabbed the report from her bedchamber…

"Careful!"

Erin stopped short at the loudly whispered word, her blonde eyebrows going high on her forehead as she instantly recognized who the voice belonged to. What in the six levels of Hades was Hope doing in her bedchamber? She should be with Aunt Belle in the library…

"I am!"

Erin's eyes closed and she sighed internally. She'd recognise that voice anywhere too - Eric D'Harper, pirate captain and current thorn in her side. What was _he_ doing in her bedchamber?

Moving quietly so as not to alert them of her presence, she tip toed to the door of her room that was ajar and peeked around the corner. Eric was stood in front of her vanity, hunched over and looking at something with his long coat gone and giving her an unobstructed view of his leather clad backside. Not that she was looking at that - nope, not one bit. Beside him was her four year old daughter, standing on the vanity chair and still in her green nightgown, looking at the same object Eric was engrossed in with an almost eagle eye. _What could they possibly be doing…_ Eric shifted to his left at that moment and upon catching sight of what sat on her vanity with Eric's hand currently atop it, Erin rolled her eyes heavenward.

She knew _exactly_ what they were up to.

The chest was ordinary enough - dark wood with her coat of arms engraved on the top and a lock on its front - and certainly didn't contain anything a normal would-be thief would be interested in but she knew of at least one object her daughter would want. The chest held all the items her father had hidden at the end of the treasure maps he had given her as a child, mostly filled with doubloons and the odd assortment of nautical objects. But there was one fairly valuable piece within the chest, a dark blue zircon pendant that had been one of her 'buried treasures' when she was four. She had taken it out the night before to show Hope as she told the story of the treasure maps and had seen the way her daughter's blue eyes lit up upon viewing the necklace. She was a little girl who liked to play dress up, after all, and had a substantial collection of jewelry her great-grandmother had given her - the fact that it was shiny and she was the granddaughter of a pirate had probably played into it as well. Hope had asked to play with it but Erin had gently told her no, that it was very sentimental and she could have it when she was a little bit older.

Only her child had decided not to wait that long and had apparently enlisted the help of a pirate to steal it. She didn't know whether to be mad that Hope was defying what she had told her or proud that the four-year-old had the forethought to enlist seasoned help with her rule breaking.

If she were honest, it was a bit of both.

"Have you never picked a lock before?" Hope suddenly asked, hands on her small hips and throwing Eric a look that could only be described as disbelieving. Erin had to bite her lip to keep from laughing at the affronted look on Eric's face when he turned to look at Hope.

"Of course I have!" he whisper hissed, his pride as a pirate clearly injured by the little girl's question. Erin saw Hope's eyebrow raise in a clear mannerism she had inherited from her grandfather.

"Doesn't look like it."

Eric huffed in annoyance. "Not my bloody fault your mother has an unpickable lock on it," he muttered, going back to the chest with what Erin could clearly see was a lockpick in one hand. She took that moment to let her presence be known, clearing her throat and lightly kicking the cracked door open so she could fully step into the room. It took every ounce of willpower she had not to smirk at their reactions - Hope's head snapping around so fast her braided hair swung from one shoulder to the other, blue eyes widening comically as Eric spun around in surprise, his face going pale when he saw who had walked in on them and dropping his lockpick to the stone floor. They had been caught mid-heist and they both knew it.

"Good morning," she greeted with false cheer, crossing her arms and widening her stance slightly into what her mother had always termed her 'Captain's pose', the same one she had seen her father fall into countless times over the years as he commanded his men.

"Momma-"

"Jones, this isn't what it looks like…"

Erin quirked an eyebrow. "Really? Because it _looks_ like you are assisting my daughter in the retrieval of a necklace I specifically told her she couldn't play with."

She could see the pirate captain contemplate lying to her, to spin some outlandish tale about the chest somehow falling from its stored location in her desk drawer and how him and Hope just happen to be there to put it on her vanity but instead he sighed heavily.

"Don't be too mad at little llygaid gas. It wasn't her idea."

"So you decided to pilfer a necklace from a locked chest that you had no idea existed?" Erin dead panned. While it tugged at something deep within her to know Eric was willing to take all the blame and try to save Hope from being grounded, she knew her daughter had been more involved if not the outright instigator of their failed heist.

"I ran into Hope this morning in the library and she was telling me about it," Eric began to explain, "And I suggested we retrieve it and… offered my services."

Erin narrowed her eyes at the pirate captain. She didn't have her mother's power to tell when someone was lying but she knew damn well there was more to the story than Eric was telling. She would bet every doubloon she owned that Hope had sought the pirate out and asked for his help or talked him into helping her.

"It doesn't matter whose idea it was. I told Hope she couldn't play with the necklace and that was final." Her gaze swung to her daughter who was still standing on the vanity chair, head bowed and fingers twisting in the fabric of her nightgown. Truth be told, she wasn't _that_ angry at her daughter. She didn't like the fact that Hope had done something she expressly told her not to do but she understood. Hope's love for jewelry and dressing up rivaled Erin's own love for sailing and hadn't she 'borrowed' her father's ship when she was sixteen after he told her not to go sailing alone? All she had wanted was to feel the wind in her hair and the thrill of knowing she could handle the _Jolly Roger_ _o_ n her own and if memory served her correctly, she had enlisted Smee's help in that little endeavor the same way Hope had done with Eric.

Bad form was bad form though, however good the intentions were and Hope knew that. And just like her father had done after she brought his ship back Erin was going to have to show her there were consequences to breaking the rules.

"Hope, come here," she softly whispered, dropping any trace of anger that still lingered from her voice. She watched her daughter climb down from the vanity chair with ease - really, where had her baby who needed help getting onto furniture go? - and walk slowly over to her, eyes still on the floor in front of her. Erin dropped to one knee when Hope reached her and brought her hand to her daughter's chin, bringing the little girl's head up until emerald eyes met blue.

"I'm not mad at you," she started, cupping her daughter's chubby cheek gently, "But I am disappointed that you were trying to get the necklace to play with it after I told you not to. You know that's bad form, ladybug."

Hope nodded solemnly. "Yes, momma. It was just really pretty."

"I know, but we've had this discussion before. Not all jewelry is meant to be played with. Great-grandma Eva's tiara is pretty but you only wear that on special occasions, yeah?"

Hope nodded again. "I was just going to borrow it, momma, I promise."

"Be that as it may, you know you weren't suppose to play with it and you were attempting to borrow it under some shady circumstances, ladybug." Kissing Hope's forehead Erin continued, "Now run along and let Eliza get you dressed then go to the library with Aunt Belle."

Hope sighed as Erin stood up. "I'm going to have to help organize the books as punishment, aren't I?"

Erin smiled. "Punishment fits the crime." She had to bite her cheek to keep from laughing as her daughter's shoulders dropped in defeat. Aunt Belle was a stickler for the library being top notch at all times and Erin knew from firsthand experience how much of a punishment helping organize and cataloguing books could be - she would have much rather swapped the deck of the _Jolly Roger_ as punishment than shelve books when she was younger. As Hope left she turned back to the pirate captain still standing by her vanity.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

Eric crossed his arms, contemplating his answer before shaking his head. "Nope."

Erin scoffed, moving to retrieve the chest with the sought after necklace inside. "Of course you bloody don't."

"I was just aiding a princess," he replied with a shrug, following Erin as she went into her study.

"Aiding a princess in stealing-"

"Borrowing."

"- A necklace," Erin finished, opening the bottom desk drawer and setting the chest back inside.

"She just wanted to play dress up, Jones."

"That's not the point," she snapped, slamming the drawer closed with more force than she had intended. "I'm her mother and I told her she couldn't have the necklace to play with. _You_ are an adult and shouldn't have been trying to help her!"

Eric rolled his eyes and Erin had to clench her fist from throwing something at him. "Her grandfather is Captain Hook, her grandmother was a thief when she was younger, and her great-grandmother was a bandit for a few years - I think it's safe to say she would have attempted to pilfer your necklace with or without my help."

"But it _was_ with your help," Erin shot back, her temper flaring slightly under the pirate's calm attitude. Really, how could he not see how in the wrong he was? She knew he liked to get under her skin but he was being abnormally flippant about this and dangerously close to getting punched in the face - not that it would be the first time she had punched him.

"Oh please," Eric argued, crossing his arms. "You're still angry about that little stunt I pulled with the Duchess on our last mission and it's causing you to blow this completely out of proportion, Jones."

* * *

And that had been what caused her temper to finally snap.

 _The actual nerve of the man_. First he tries to help her daughter in going against something she said and then he brings that up? As if she cared about him keeping the Duchess of Glowerhaven occupied with a kiss while she stole the Infinity Ring from the Duke. He could kiss every Duchess in the land for all she cared, it wasn't like she wanted him kissing her. The image of the face her mother made when the Savior knew you were outright lying flashed through her mind and she huffed in annoyance again. She did _not_ like the pirate captain. He was an infuriating flirt who took every opportunity to work her last nerve and always had some sarcastic remark…

"Ready, love?"

Erin looked up from where she had been staring a hole in the ground to see her father toss the waterskin they had procured from Granny that morning onto the grass before walking towards her, unsheathing his sword as he went. Nodding in a silent reply Erin quickly fell back into her fighting stance, her hand tightening on the pommel as her jaw ticked.

She still had some anger to work out.

* * *

Breathing heavily as his feet pounded the ground, Eric let his mind drift as he ran through the forest.

He had never been one to actively seek out exercise - sword fighting and riding horses in his youth and then the manual labor that came with being a sailor had kept him in fit shape - but over the last two years he had found he needed to carve out a few hours every week to maintain the physique he had acquired through the years. The missions he went on with Erin and the occasional fight with whatever villain decided to pop up weren't quite enough and he had given himself over to running a few times a week to give himself that extra push. It wasn't the same as hauling lines aboard his ship with the wind in his hair but there was a tranquility about watching the forest flash around him and going off the beaten path.

The Gods knew he needed something tranquil after the morning he had had.

He still wasn't sure what had really happened. Choosing to forgo that morning's War Council meeting - they had Killian, a far more experienced sailor then he and besides, he almost never contributed other than to break up mounting tensions with a sarcastic comment - he had made his way to the library to see if Lady Belle needed any assistance. She wasn't there but Hope was and somewhere between greeting her and eating a biscuit he had been propositioned by the four year old to help her get a necklace that was under lock and key. He had briefly questioned his decision when he learned the item in question actually belonged to Erin but all it had taken was Hope batting those baby blue eyes at him with a slight pout to her adorable face and he had been in all the way, the ramifications of her mother finding out be damned.

And there had most definitely been ramifications.

He hadn't seen the pirate princess that angry at him since she had knocked him out at the base of the dragon cave with her sword and he just didn't understand why. He could understand Erin being irked at his role in the endeavour but her anger was truly out of proportion to the situation. So he had been in the process of helping Hope borrow a necklace that wasn't hers. At best, he deserved a stern lecture on not letting a child use her adorableness on him, not anger that was on the level of him stealing the crown jewels. He had thought Erin might still be out of sorts over the incident with the Duchess of Glowerhaven but commenting on that had only landed him further in hot water with the princess and she had stormed out of her study, almost shoving him to the ground in her haste to get away from him.

It was like he couldn't win or lose with her no matter what he did.

As the trees around him began to thin he slowed to a normal walk, his bare chest rising and falling rapidly as he caught his breath. He hadn't realised his running path had taken him to this area, a spot he had discovered a few months back on another run but he was glad his feet had subconsciously lead him here. Breaking through the treeline he came to a stop, taking in the view in front of him. He had been to many exotic ports in his years as a pirate and seen countless wondrous views, but nothing compared to the beauty of the Enchanted Forest except the open ocean. All he could see before him was forest that had been untouched by man, miles and miles of tree covered mountains rising against the backdrop of a clear morning sky, stretching on for what seemed like forever. The sounds of the forest surrounded him - birds chirping and the rustle of some small animal nearby - and taking a deep breath he was hit by the scent of pine and fresh soil, the calm environment instantly soothing his jumbled mind. The sea had always called to him, even when he was a child but there was something about the forest that spoke to him in a way the sea never could and he welcomed it.

"Bloody hell!"

His running mate did not have the same fondness for the forest, however.

Turning, he saw Liam break through the same treeline he had seconds ago, cursing and slapping at an errant branch that brushed against his head. Like Eric he was dressed only in a pair of black loose fitting pants and no shirt, his bare chest rising and falling rapidly as he caught his breath, the dark locks he had inherited from Killian drenched in sweat and sticking up in every conceivable direction. Liam's hatred for traversing through the woods for any length of time was well known to those close to him, although the cause of his foliage dislike still remained a mystery to Eric. The lieutenant preferred to travel by sea even if it meant going a longer way and had refused to leave the deck of his sister's ship when they had went to retrieve the Eye of Odin when it meant travelling over an island of nothing but forests. But like himself, Liam had found he needed to keep his physic up during the months he wasn't at sea and had agreed to join the young pirate captain on the morning runs.

Although there was always some form of grumbling about shrubbery and soil.

"Remind me again why we have to run through the bloody forest?" Liam panted, coming to a stop next to him.

Eric watched Liam kick at a bush like it had offended his mother. "Is the Great Lieutenant Jones being bested by a few low hanging branches and tree roots?"

"No," Liam grumbled indignantly. "But just once I want to run without all manner of tree appendages smacking me in the face. What's wrong with running along the shore again?"

Sweeping his arm out wide Eric replied, "You don't get this kind of majestic view along the shoreline, Jones."

Liam grunted in disagreement as he started to stretch his legs. "I beg to differ. The infinite horizon over the ocean is by far more pleasurable to look at. You don't even bloody see this half the time while running through the forest."

"But you know it's there," Eric chuckled, falling into his own series of stretches to work out his sore muscles. "Why do you hate the forest so much anyway?"

Liam shot him a dark look. "Long story," he muttered, moving to stretch his lower back. "You want to explain why you are running so damn hard today?"

Eric tensed at the lieutenant's question, almost toppling over as he had been in the process of stretching on one leg. Liam was well accustomed to his and Erin's bantering but he didn't want her brother to know their earlier run-in had affected him so much that it colored his morning exercise. "Just felt like a good day to work up some extra sweat," he casually replied, praying Liam bought the lie. A quick glance out of the corner of his eye told him the deities above had not answered his prayer.

"Are you sure about that?" Liam asked with a knowing twinkle to his blue eyes. "Your fight with my sister earlier this morning wouldn't have anything to do with it?"

Eric groaned - he really hated the perceptiveness of the Jones siblings sometimes. "Let me guess… Erin threatened to rid me of my family jewels to anyone who would listen?"

Liam smirked. "Actually, no, but it doesn't take a genius to figure out the reason for my sister's sudden desire to clash swords with our father." He paused, tilting his head slightly. "Although with the look she had on her face she probably was envisioning ridding you of your manhood. What exactly did you do this time, D'Harper?"

Huffing in annoyance, Eric crossed his arms. "Not a bloody thing. _Your_ sister over reacted to something I did."

"Erin doesn't over react."

Eric threw the lieutenant a disbelieving look and Liam raised his hands in surrender.

"I will concede that my sister is an emotional reactor but she doesn't blow things out of proportion for no reason, Eric. What happened?"

"Nothing." When Liam continued to stare at him Eric sighed. "Okay, fine. There _might_ have been a poor choice made on my part-" He ignored the other man's raised eyebrow, "-In regards to your niece."

Liam frowned, clearly having not expected that bit of information. "What does Hope have to do with this?"

Eric really didn't want to talk about the incident but Liam was right - although Erin was known to react with her emotions before thinking it through, there was always a solid reason for her reaction. And if anyone was able to decipher why Erin had almost verbally taken his head off for simply going along with Hope's plan, it was going to be her brother. Taking a deep breath, he recounted that morning's events from running into Hope in the library to Erin storming out of her study, all the while keeping his eyes on the breathtaking view before them. When he had finished silence enveloped the small area, save for the quiet background noises of the creatures that called the forest home. When he could stand it no longer he turned to look at Liam and saw the other man staring at him, biting his lip in an attempt to keep his laughter at bay.

"So… you got caught helping a four year old mid-heist?" Liam asked, instantly dissolving into laughter at his own question.

As Liam's uncontrollable laughter echoed off the trees surrounding them Eric narrowed his eyes.

"I'm glad to see my predicament is so funny to you, Jones," he muttered in annoyance.

Liam waved his words away, taking in large gulps of air to get his laughter under control. "You have to admit, Eric, it kind of is."

"Oh, yes, I had a bloody swell time getting my head bitten off by a fiery blonde princess. Just how I like to start my mornings."

Liam shrugged as his laughter finally subsided. "Is it any different than your normal interactions?"

"She blew it out of proportion, Liam! I was helping Hope borrow a necklace, not bloody run off with her ship!"

"But even you agreed it was a poor choice on your part," Liam pointed out. "You were for all intents and purposes, helping Hope go against something Erin had told her not to do."

Well, the man had a point there. "Was it my best moment? No, but you've met your niece, Jones. You just don't say no to her!"

Nodding Liam said, "True, and I understand that. I've had those baby blue eyes lead me into my own troublesome spots over the years."

Sighing heavily, Eric ran a hand down his face. "So that's why Erin was so mad? Because I was helping Hope break a rule she had set?"

Liam hummed in contemplation. "No, not quite."

"Was it a valuable necklace Hope was trying to procure?"

"Only sentimental if it's the one I'm thinking about. Dad gave it to her when we were Hope's age."

Throwing his hands up in frustration, Eric began to pace. "I don't understand why she was so angry then!"

Liam raised a disbelieving eyebrow toward him. "Yes you do."

"No, I don't, otherwise I wouldn't be asking _you_ why she's so bloody-"

"Oh, for the love of Hera… it's because she likes you, you dim witted pirate!"

 _That_ stopped Eric in his tracks. Turning, he stared at Liam in shock for a few seconds before he found his voice. "What?

"You heard me. My sister likes you, as in more than a friend."

"That… it can't… that's impossible!" Eric stuttered.

Liam rolled his eyes. "How is it impossible?"

"Because! Your sister hates me with a passion!"

"Hate is a very strong word," Liam began, ignoring the incredulous look the pirate captain shot him. "Do you push her buttons at every turn and make decisions you know are going to irritate her? Yes… but she doesn't hate you, Eric. Far from it, actually."

Eric shook his head. Liam had spent too long at sea and was losing his mind. "Her actions say differently, Jones. She keeps me at arm's length and argues with me over every little thing. None of that speaks to her… _liking_ me."

Liam looked heavenward as if he were praying to the gods for something before looking back at Eric. "Have you never heard my parent's story?"

"No, what does that have to do with anything?"

"You should give it a read sometime, if you can pry it away from my niece long enough."

Eric frowned in confusion. "I don't understand what two people who are madly in love with each other's story has to do with me and your sister."

"Because they weren't always madly in love with each other." At Eric's obvious surprise Liam chuckled and crossed his arms over his bare chest. " It wasn't love at first sight when my parents met, Eric. Far from it, actually. Dad was pretty much a villain and my mom… well, if you think Erin's walls are high they are nothing compared to how tall my mom's were. There _was_ a connection between them from the beginning though, but it was a long road before they became the couple you know now and all because mom was too stubborn and scared to admit her feelings. She kept dad at arms length and he drove her mad with his persistence - sound familiar?"

Eric looked out over the view of the forest as Liam's words sunk in. He would have never known that the couple who personified true love had once not only been on opposite sides, but had also taken the long road to becoming a couple. But that didn't mean he and Erin were like them. He thought back to the night they had first met in that seaside tavern and how vastly different they had been. She was a princess, on a noble quest to rid the world of a scepter with dark magic and he had been nothing more than a pirate, a man who had turned down that path out of rebellion and took what he wanted. He had chased after her not out of desire - although she was a beautiful woman - but because she had intrigued him. After all, it wasn't every day a princess bested him at dice and pick pocketed him. There had been something in her eyes though, a hidden pain in those emerald depths that called out to his own soul as if it recognised it. It had made him want to know more about her, to discover what made her tick and the reason for those walls she protected herself with.

He had admitted to himself a long time ago that he felt something for the pirate princess. It was a fact he had realised not long after dismissing his crew and inserting himself into her world, one he had once vowed never to return to. He didn't know if it was love but there was something there that kept him by her side no matter how much she protested, a pull that had him following her into danger without so much as blinking an eye. It's what kept him here despite her pushing him away and the arguments, why he kept prodding at her emotional armor to see what lay beneath it. He had never thought she had feelings for him but if what Liam was saying was true….

Looking back at Liam he noted the smug smirk on the lieutenant's face. "So what you're telling me is her keeping me at arm's length and all the bickering between us is because she…. _likes_ me?"

"Pretty much."

Eric let that confirmation sink in for a few seconds. "And the reason she became so angry with me helping Hope is because she likes me."

"Partly. Helping her daughter go around something she had firmly stated angered her plenty I'm sure, but her over reaction to the situation was because she likes you and is just too stubborn to admit it," Liam confirmed with a nod.

"If she hasn't admitted it how do you know?"

"Eric, she's my sister. My _twin_. I know how she feels about something even if she doesn't know how she feels about it yet."

It was like Helios had lit a torch in his mind. He thought back to every interaction they had ever had and how Erin had reacted - every time she got defensive with him, every argument she had started or the way she never backed down from their verbal altercations. He had thought she had done it because she couldn't stand him but with this new information he knew the true reason behind her constantly picking fights with him. She liked him. Erin Jones _liked_ him.

The grin that had slowly started to take over his face fell away as another thought struck him and his eyes snapped to Liam.

"And you are okay with your sister liking a pirate?"

"Our father was a pirate," Liam dead panned. "Besides, you like her and I know the kind of man you are. That's really all that matters to me."

Eric's eyes widened. "I never said I liked your sister!"

Liam rolled his eyes in exasperation as he turned to head back down the path they had come from. "You don't _have_ to say it, Eric. The entire bloody castle knows you fancy my sister with the moon eyes you give her like a school boy."

Slightly affronted that he would be described as a school boy in any capacity - he hadn't spent fifteen years on the high sea rising up the ranks to Captain to be called that! - and partly mortified that apparently everyone knew how he felt about Erin, he stumbled after Liam.

"Not everyone knows," Eric huffed, falling in step a few feet behind the other man.

Liam snorted as they continued to walk. "Probably the only person who doesn't know is my dad. And may Poseidon and the rest of the parthenon protect you when he does find out."

* * *

The sound of steel hitting steel rang out through the courtyard as Erin blocked her father's incoming strike, her arm turning in a graceful arc and forcing the tip of his cutlass to touch the stone pavement beneath their feet in a well practiced disarmament. Grinning at her small victory she stepped back, sword coming up to rest on her shoulder as she once again tried to catch her breath.

They had been going at it hard for an hour now after their last break, the former pirate captain vigorously taking his daughter through every maneuver and style of fighting he knew and they were both showing the effects of it. Erin was once again pouring sweat, her hair pulled into a high ponytail sometime ago and she could feel the pink tinge starting to develop on her cheeks and forehead from being out in the sun for so long. Her father wasn't faring any better either. She could see that his dark locks were drenched in sweat and even he had discarded his vest and great coat not long ago to combat the heat. He truly was an amazing father. He hadn't asked why she needed to blow off some steam that morning - had simply shrugged into his greatcoat and grabbed his sword, ready and willing to do whatever she needed to have a sound mind.

And it had worked.

With every strike of her sword she had felt the anger over that morning's incident evaporate into the afternoon sun, her shoulders releasing their tension and her movements had become more fluid, less hurried and brutal like she had been trying to hack her way through an army of ogres. They easily could have called it a day but she found herself enjoying the sparring session with her father and the need to work off her anger had morphed to her simply wanting to spend time with him - and beat him, of course. Not that he was making that easy for her.

"Am I tiring you out yet old man?" she challenged, a wide grin on her face. She saw her father raise a dark eyebrow at her words, his own matching grin pulling at his lips and he raised his cutlass with a flourish, nodding at her that he was ready to continue.

They came together in a series of elaborate twists and strikes, the sound of steel striking steel once again ringing through the courtyard as they parried each other's attacks, both of them calculating what the other's move would be before the other had even made it. She attempted a slicing attack she had learned from her grandfather but her father instantly blocked the attack, not even batting an eye as his daughter shifted fighting techniques on him mid-fight. She wasn't completely surprised - her father had once told her it didn't matter how your opponent fought, the important thing was to have a good fighting form and so long as you had that, you could win against any style of sword fight that was leveled at you. On and on they went, light banter being traded back and forth as their swords met time and time again and she was more than a little pleased with herself when she corrected her father's foot placement on a particular move, another small victory considering he had shouted 'Wrist up!' more than a handful of times that morning to her.

She was working her father's sword up high in a series of complex strikes he had taught her years ago when she heard laughter coming from the side of the courtyard. Chancing a quick glance to see who it was, her eyes widened at the sight that greeted her. Her brother and Eric were walking across the other end of the courtyard, Liam's head thrown back in laughter as Eric animatedly told a story of some sort while dressed in a pair of black linen pants and nothing else.

 _Sweet Hera._

In the two years she had known him she had never seen Eric shirtless before. He had gone without his leather coat before and she had even seen him sans-vest a time or two when things had to be done on the ship but an unobstructed view of his torso? Not once - until now. Her eyes unashamedly roamed his upper body, taking in the defined muscles of his chest that marked his years of hard labor at sea and his flat but toned stomach, all covered with a generous helping of dark hair. His biceps moved and rippled as he gestured while telling his story and she felt her jaw drop slightly at the sight, unable to stop her eyes from moving upwards to the expanse of his collarbone and shoulders that were glistening with sweat under the afternoon sun.

She had known he was fit - you don't captain a ship for fifteen years and not develop muscles from helping your men out - but she had no idea he looked like _that_ underneath his shirts. Perhaps they needed to retrieve an artifact from Agraba so he'd have to strip down…

Erin was jolted from her thoughts by a sharp strike from her father's sword to her own, the move causing a strong reverberation to shoot up her right arm. Before she could react her father fit the tip of his cutlass into one of the holes of the lavishly decorated gold pommel and flicked his wrist, easily disarming her and sending her sword falling to the stone pavement beneath them. She blinked in confusion at her sword for a long second, wondering how her father had disengaged from her series of strikes and gotten past her defenses without her knowing before looking at the man in question, shocked.

"Are you okay, ychydig môr-leidr?" her father asked as he lowered his sword and walked toward her, clearly worried he had somehow hurt her.

"Yeah, I'm fine, dad," she responded, shaking her head. "What the hell happened?"

"You paused on one of the last strikes. I assumed you were changing tactics and I altered mine to a straight and thrust attack. You've blocked that move a hundred times over the years so I didn't even expect it to get past your defenses."

"I was…"

Erin's eyes flickered over to where Liam and Eric had stopped and she felt the anger she had meticulously worked to rid herself of all morning come crashing back and her jaw clenched. She would have blocked the familiar attack if she hadn't been distracted by some pirate captain who insisted on walking around shirtless. Who did that anyway?

"I'll be right back," she muttered to her father, not waiting for him to acknowledge her before striding in the direction of her brother and the infuriating pirate.

* * *

Killian watched his daughter make her way to where Liam and Eric stood, his brow furrowed in confusion.

He hadn't asked her that morning why she needed to spar - it was clear by the flash in her eyes and the set of her jaw when she sought him out in his study that something or someone had agitated her. He had assumed it had to do with whatever she had found in her research for her next mission and seeing as he had no plans for the day other than to repair a few things on the _Jolly Roger_ , he had happily obliged her. But it wasn't like Erin to completely miss such a simple attack that she had parried before, even when angry, and he couldn't think of a reason as to why she had completely let her guard down like that during a fight, even a mock one with him.

"Having fun there, sailor?"

Turning, Killian smiled as he watched Emma walk toward him, her blonde locks pulled over her right shoulder as their granddaughter's head rested on her left. He could tell by the little girl's relaxed arms that she was fast asleep and the sight of her long lashes resting against her chubby cheeks with her small mouth parted in peaceful slumber filled his heart with adoration and love. Carefully wrapping his hooked arm around his wife's waist so as not to disturb his granddaughter, he placed a gentle kiss to Emma's lips.

"Down for her afternoon nap already?"

Emma hummed in response as her right hand ran up Hope's back soothingly. "She passed out shortly after I picked her up from the library for her naptime. Every time I tried to put her down she would cling to me so I figured it was best just to walk around with her while she slept instead of the entire castle having to contend with a grouchy four-year-old over the next few hours."

Watching a few tendrils of Emma's hair move from Hope's steady breaths, he smiled in understanding. His beautiful granddaughter did have the tendency to be less than cooperative when her chosen place of sleep was disturbed - much like her grandmother was when she had to rise before the sun - but he knew that wasn't the only reason Emma had conceded to carry the raven haired girl around as she slept. No matter how many years had passed or how many calm and happy moments their family made, he knew the regret of not raising Henry and experiencing all the little moments with him that came with raising a child still plagued the Savior. It wasn't an everyday thing or even a conscious one he believed, just a fact that had shaped how Emma interacted with first their own children and now their grandchildren, one he had seen as well in Snow and David over the years. Not that he was one to judge, of course. His reasons may have been different from those of his wife and in-laws but Killian could clearly remember spending hours carrying around his own children even after they had learned to walk.

Nodding toward their sleeping granddaughter he whispered, "She loves her grandmother."

"She may love me but I'm not her favorite person," she automatically teased, giving him a knowing look.

Killian grinned. "What can I say, Swan. Princesses of varying hair color favorite pirates."

Emma rolled her eyes playfully at her husband's words as Hope stirred slightly in her arms.

"Speaking of princesses who adore you, how was your sparring session with Erin?"

"Productive," he answered truthfully, sheathing his sword quietly so as not to wake Hope. "Although she missed a simple attack at the end which is unlike her."

He watched Emma's eyes move to something behind him and a smirk pulled at the corner of her lips. "Perhaps she was just distracted."

Turning to look at what had captured his wife's attention all Killian saw was Erin and Eric at the other end of the courtyard facing each other, his daughter talking quite animatedly to the young pirate captain who had his head tilted as he listened.

"I don't understand," he said in confusion as Emma came to stand on his left side. "What possibly could have distracted her?"

His wife's quite snort had his head turning toward her to see emerald eyes looking up at him with a knowing gleam to them.

"For the most perceptive man I know you truly are blind to this, aren't you?"

Killian frowned as his confusion grew. "Blind to what, Swan?"

"Of what's been growing right in front of you and why your daughter was distracted - possibly even the reason she needed to spar in the first place."

Looking back toward his daughter and the younger pirate captain he gestured with his hand. "It's just Eric. She's seen him a thousand times over the last few years, what is there for her to be distracted about now?"

"Well, to begin with, he's shirtless."

"Aye," he agreed with a nod of his head, "Him and Liam normally are when they go for a run. I'm still not understanding what Eric's state of undress has to do with Erin being distracted while wielding a sword."

Emma sighed and the gentle pressure of her right hand on his hooked arm had him turning to face her.

"When you work on the _Jolly Roger_ you go shirtless sometimes, yes?"

"You know I do, Swan. It gets bloody hot on the water when you're doing manual labor."

Emma nodded her head in agreement, once again shifting the sleeping Hope a little. "And whenever I see you all shirtless and sweaty what usually happens?"

His right eyebrow rose, a salacious grin spreading across his face as he swayed toward her. "Normally we end up below deck in some... _pleasurable_ activities and my tasks are left to be completed at another time."

Emma laughed as her right hand came up to rest on his sweat drenched chest, halting his movement. "Easy there, tiger. Lets not get distracted before this revelation comes to you. Yes, we do, but why?"

The question gave Killian pause, his brow furrowing as he tried to make sense of where his wife was going. "Because you… find it attractive?"

"Insanely hot, actually."

He ignored the stroke to his ego as his confusion mounted. "What does your reaction upon seeing me shirtless have to do with-"

"Killian," Emma sighed in exasperation, "Erin got distracted by a shirtless Eric because she likes him."

"Of course she likes him, Swan. They're acquaintances and he helps her on her missions."

"No, Killian, she _likes_ him… as in more than a simple acquaintance."

Killian stared at his wife for a long second before her words truly registered. Raising both eyebrows in shock he whisper-hissed, "Erin _likes_ Eric?"

Emma nodded. "Has for some time now."

"No… that can't- Swan that's preposterous!"

"Is it?" she asked with a raised eyebrow of her own. "Look at them and tell me you don't see it with your fatherly instincts not clouding your spidey pirate senses now."

Killian's head snapped towards the still conversing couple, his eyes narrowing as he sought to prove his wife wrong. There was no way Erin had fallen for the young pirate captain without him noticing. He had been quite diligent since his daughter came of age, always keeping a wary eye on potential suitors and their intentions with her, even more so since Matthew's passing. He had known the moment Matthew, a prince, had caught Erin's eye so there was no way he had missed a pirate doing the same but as he observed Eric and Erin interacting, he was left with no choice but to admit his wife was right.

He could see it as clear as a storm approaching on the horizon - the too-long looks Erin had given the captain when he wasn't looking in the War Room as they discussed Ingrid's attacks, the way she studied him on the deck of one of their ships, even their constant bantering. He had always written it off as a camaraderie that had grown between the two as they got to know each other but looking back on it now with a clear focus, he recognized it for what it was. He could see his daughter, so much like her mother emotionally since Matthew's death, use that banter as a means to distance herself from the feelings that had obviously grown and pushing back against what she didn't want to admit was right there.

 _Bloody hell, how he had not seen it before?_

Looking back to his wife he muttered, "She likes him."

Emma nodded, her green eyes twinkling. "Took you long enough to see it, old man."

Killian shook his head. "I- I don't know how I didn't…"

Emma shrugged as best she could with Hope on her one shoulder. "You weren't expecting your daughter to fall in love with a pirate. That's how he flew under your very perceptive and protective radar."

Killian started to nod his head - she was right, he had always kept an eye on the Princes and Dukes that wandered through the castle over the years, a fellow pirate captain had never even entered his mind as a possibility - when her word choice fully registered. Eyes snapping to his wife he spluttered, "What do you mean fell in love?! You said she just liked him as more than an acquaintance!"

He watched his true love roll her eyes. "And being in love with him _isn't_ liking him more than a passing acquaintance?"

"How long have you known?" he asked, ignoring her question which held a valid point.

Emma looked to where Eric and Erin still stood conversing, her head tilting slightly in contemplation.

"I had my suspicions from the beginning, really. From the moment she mentioned meeting him when her, Oliver, and Neal went in search of that scepter there was… something about the way she described him, a tone to her voice I had never heard before. It wasn't until six months ago that my suspicions were confirmed though. We were in the War Room discussing one of Ingrid's attacks and I remember looking at Erin as she watched Eric talk when she thought no one else was looking and it… well, it struck me in that moment. That look our daughter had in her eyes, wanting something but fearful of it in equal measure mixed together - it reminded me of how I use to look at you before our trip to the past."

"But Swan, he's… just…"

"Nothing but a pirate?" she finished, moving her attention from their daughter back to him and raising a blonde eyebrow. "Didn't _my_ father say the same thing about you at one point?"

 _Well, she has you there._ Closing his eyes and sighing in resignation, he ran his hand through his damp hair. He knew the point she was trying to make - that he was reducing Eric only to the profession he had chosen and the negative stigma that went along with it, the same thing David had done to him in the beginning. As Emma pointed out, his father-in-law had said those very words to him in the sweltering jungles of Neverland before Killian had given him the water that would stop the Dreamshade poison. The King had been wrong about him of course and intellectually he knew he was wrong about Eric - even he could see the hypocrisy in the matter considering he had, for a very long time, been a pirate himself - but when it came to his child hypocrisy be damned.

It wasn't that he didn't want his daughter to find love again because he did. The Gods knew he had spent countless nights sitting up with her after a nightmare hoping for it, knowing better than anyone how a new low could heal the wounds left behind by an old one that had been ripped away too soon but that didn't stop him from being worried now that Erin had obviously found it again. He trusted his daughter to know her own heart but it was the younger pirate captain's motives he felt the need to question. Killian had been a pirate for centuries and knew the lifestyle a captain lead in that profession, particularly when it came to women, and he wouldn't have Erin's heart broken again simply because the pirate wanted to add another notch to his bedpost.

"He's a good man, Killian," Emma stated, as if she knew what her husband had been thinking.

"He's still a man," he grumbled. He always forgot he was just as much an open book to his Swan as she was to him. Emma's chuckle had him opening his eyes to see the love of his life watching him, her emerald gaze dancing with mirth over the current situation.

"Oh, he'll win you over," she said knowingly, turning to head back into the castle with their still sleeping granddaughter. "I can just feel it."

Huffing in feigned annoyance - his wife had once again used his own words against him - and ignoring the quiet laughter that floated back from her retreating form, he turned his head to look to where Erin and Eric still stood. He could tell by his daughter's body language that they were clearly in a disagreement now instead of simply conversing, the hands on her hips and her raised chin a classic Emma Swan battle stance, one he had seen countless times over the years. Eric was standing in her personal space, the toes of their boots touching with his arms crossed over his bare chest and Killian watched as the young pirate captain said something that caused Erin to roll her eyes before launching into a passionate rebuttal about whatever he had just said.

The entire scene gave him an odd sense of deja vu, one he couldn't quite place until Eric uncrossed his arms and reached out with his right hand to twirl a lock of Erin's hair that had come loose from her ponytail during their sparring session - and that was when it hit him. Their stances, the smirk on Eric's lips, and Erin's exasperated head tilt… it was like he was instantly transported back to that night twenty-four years ago when he and Emma had stood in the middle of Storybrooke's street after returning from New York with a sleeping Henry in her yellow vessel beside them. He could practically feel the cold air around him as he remembered his flirtatious remark after donning his hook - _"That's more like it, isn't it, Swan?"_ \- and the way her blonde hair had shined against the metal of the curved blade as he casually ran it through those tumbling locks. It made his breath hitch and he had to blink as the image of his daughter and Eric kept flickering with the memory of him and Emma that night, the parallels between them so strong even a blind man could see them. He was broken from his walk down memory lane when Eric, clearly responding to whatever Erin had said, suddenly motioned down the length of his body and Killian felt his jaw clench as he watched his daughter's eyes flicker to the man's bare chest, lingering there for far longer than he was comfortable with.

He may have to accept his daughter had fallen in love with a pirate but that didn't mean he had like it.

"Eric, put your shirt on!" he shouted in annoyance, both for taking so long to see what was right in front of him and the fact there was nothing he could do to stop the inevitable now. Erin was her mother's daughter and she would love whoever she decided even if he didn't fully agree with her choice, a fact that irritated and made him proud. Not waiting to see if the younger pirate captain obeyed him, he turned toward the castle in search of his father-in-law - apparently Erin wasn't the only Jones who was going to need work off some anger through the swing of a sword today.

 _Bloody pirates._

* * *

As always ychydig môr-leidr is Welsh for 'little pirate' and llygaid glas is Welsh for 'blue eyes' - according to google translate at least!


	4. Chapter 4: Across the Room

"We have to act now while she's weak or we will never have another chance to stop her!"

"And I'm telling you, _dearie_ , it would be suicide."

"You always were one to take the cowardly way out, crocodile."

"Are we really surprised by that?"

Eric quietly snickered as Rumplestiltskin threw a death glare at Will even as the White King of Wonderland tapped his goblet of wine against Killian's flask in a show of agreement.

The War Council had been gathered for the first time since the Snow Queen's defeat and its members were currently discussing the best way to handle a weakened Maleficent. David was set on attacking the Mistress of All Evil, the memories of what she had put his daughter and grandchildren through still fresh in the King's mind and causing the normally careful strategist to become desperate and reckless. Not that Eric could blame him. The image of just how close Erin had been to being held within Dark Fairy's clutches was one that haunted him often and was why he had thrown his support behind the King's plan.

Not that his opinion carried a large amount of weight within the room hence why he was currently leaning against one of the stone pillars, slightly away from the War Table and its combative members and eating the grapes he had grabbed on his way to the room.

As an all out argument erupted between Rumple and the two men he despised the most Eric let his gaze wander to the woman sitting between her younger brother and uncle. Erin was watching the ping pong of insults her father and Rumple were throwing at each other with a mild look of smugness, clearly trying to hold back her own snicker as Killian made some comment about Rumple's theatrics and mimicked the former Dark One's infamous hand gesture. She was breathtakingly beautiful in the sunlight that filtered into the large room, the black shirt she wore a stark contrast to her fair skin and her blonde hair falling in soft waves around her shoulders while her green eyes shined with mirth. It was good to see her happy again especially when he knew her nightmares were plaguing her more and more, her restless steps through the castle corridors late at night not going unnoticed by him. It was to be expected of course after the woman who killed Matthew had been in the same room as her daughter.

Perhaps a trip was in order. He was certain there was a black log of retrieval requests sitting on the Savior's desk - putting wind into her ship's sails would be good for her, take her mind off the memory…

It was in that moment Erin's green gaze flickered to where he stood and his hand paused halfway to bringing the grape to his mouth as he watched her. She seemed to be taking him in from toe to head, her eyes slowly trailing from where his ankles were crossed up his leather clad legs, mirth replaced with a heated look as she reached his mid-section. It was a look he had seen on many a woman while they took their fill of him but it was one he never thought to see from her and he could feel his heart beat quicken at the knowledge. Her eyes seemed to linger on his upper body as if she were tracing the lines of muscle hidden beneath his leather jacket before moving up to his face and he saw the instant she realised he had caught her staring.

Her eyes widened almost comically and a faint blush colored her pretty cheeks, even the tips of the ears she had inherited from her father going red. Not one to pass up an opportunity he kept his eyes locked with hers as he popped the last grape into his mouth and smiled lasciviously, even throwing in a wink to the Princess. He watched the blush that stained her cheeks trail down to her collarbone as she rolled her eyes before huffed slightly and looking away from him. As David joined Rumple and Killian's argument he couldn't help the grin that pulled at his lips.

 _Erin Jones had been checking him out._ Perhaps those walls she had protected herself with were finally coming down.

* * *

With one hand on her goblet of wine and the other firmly planted on her husband's thigh to keep him from reaching across the table and imbedding his hook in Rumple's throat Emma watched her daughter intently.

She didn't have to look to see who had captured her daughter's attention as the yelling at the table escalated, knowing very well a certain young pirate captain was standing off to the side in that general direction. What did surprise her was the blush that suddenly spread over Erin's face to the tips of her ears. Discreetly turning her head she saw Eric leaning against one of the stone pillars and grinning wildly, his own green gaze heated and full of hope. Turning back to the ensuing argument she picked up her goblet to hide her knowing smile as a cloud of blue smoke appeared behind her parents. It would seem her daughter was finally letting her walls down, if only for the briefest of moments

She thanked every deity alive that Killian was too distracted to notice - this time, at least.


	5. Ch5: Curiosity Killed the Pirates,Part1

**For my darling xpumkindumplingx who long ago mentioned she wanted some D'Jones in Agrabah. Naturally I took it and created a complex plot and threw in some of our mutual love of cats - Merry Christmas my love! For those who read Days of Future's Past this takes place between the events in that story and the sequel (which I swear to Hera I will work on in the new year!)**

 **As always, enjoy, and reviews feed the muse!**

* * *

 _While on a trip to Agrabah in search of an ingredient that will seal the time vortex forever, Killian and Eric accidentally stumble upon an artifact belonging to the Goddess Bastet that alters their physical appearance. Emma and Erin are left to not only find the ingredient they are after but also a way to break the enchantment. Can they do so before the two men are forever trapped within their new forms?_

* * *

Part 1

* * *

If there was one thing Erin Jones disliked almost as much as her brother hated the forest, it was the desert.

She couldn't deny there was a serene beauty to the rolling mountains of sand that seemed to stretch to the very edge of the world, their sloping forms formed from hundreds of years and as timeless as the sun that watched over them. The feeling that you were the only person in the word while traversing over the miles and miles of sand wasn't a horrible feeling either, almost freeing when you were use to the crowded streets of cities and land marked by large forests and mountains. The night sky was another hidden beauty with the open landscape giving an unobstructed view to Nyx's cloak and the stars woven into its fabric, the open ocean the only other place that allowed such a clear sight. But that was where the desert's beauty ended.

The heat was oppressing, the same open landscape that allowed for a clear view of the stars also permitted Helio's torch to beat down on her, soaking her clothes with sweat and quickly darkening any skin that was visible to its light. At night the temperature plummeted and forced her to wrap up in a number of blankets in an attempt to ward off the cold that seemed to seep into her very bones. Up close the sand was a nuisance, getting everywhere from inside her boots to underneath her clothes no matter how hard she tried to keep it out. And the lack of water…

Reaching down for the waterskin that hung on the side of the camel she was riding, Erin took a rationed sip as she reminded herself why she was in this Gods forsaken land.

Two months on from her and Liam's time travel adventure Maleficent had still not recovered from the magical blast inflicted on her by the past version of Erin's mother. All the reports they had received showed the Dark Fairy had confined herself to her castle as she recovered, wounded but not defeated by the actions of the past Savior. Her grandfather had briefly entertained the idea of attacking the dark castle but the Blue Fairy had informed them that although Maleficent had been physically weakened, her magic was still as strong as it had ever been. An attack would have done nothing more than waste the lives of her grandfather's men - as a fairy, Maleficent couldn't be killed and her Aunt Belle had still not discovered a magical way to successfully trap the Mistress of All Evil.

Instead the decision had been made to take every precaution they could to ensure that once Maleficent regained her strength she couldn't resume her plan of creating a new Dark One. With the dagger safely hidden in Camelot by Merlin, they had turned their attention to finding a way to stop time travel. It had been the only way to save her mother from Ingrid's ice coffin but they couldn't risk Maleficent going back in time to alter the outcome of the battle and possibly regain possession of the dagger - or worse. Merlin had advised them that there was a way to completely seal the time vortex but the ingredients needed for the act were rare and scattered throughout the realms, some possibly extinct.

Which was why the four of them - herself, Eric, and her parents - had spent the last two days riding through the Great Desert on their way to Agrabah to find one of those ingredients. Thankfully the great city was finally within sight and they wouldn't have to be in the oppressing heat of the desert much longer...

"Admit it, Jones - you cheated."

Pulled from her thoughts, Erin rolled her eyes at the man riding beside her and huffed as she bounced slightly on the camel beneath her.

Eric D'Harper _would_ accuse her of cheating - not that she could really blame him for doing so. She was, after all, the daughter of a pirate and cheating at a game of dice was generally par for the course when you had that sort of lineage. The incident in question had occurred the night before after they had made camp. In a bid to take their minds off the decreased temperature and sand that seemed to make its way to a number of uncomfortable places, her father had suggested they play a game of dice. It had started off innocently enough - an extra scarf ripped into pieces to act as money, no score kept and their conversation centering around Liam's recent proposal to Elizabeth - but it hadn't taken long for the game to change, especially once her father's flask had made an appearance. The decision to have the losers of a hand take a swig of rum had soon followed, the pieces of scarf tossed to the side and replaced with real money as talk of her brother and best-friend's engagement gave way to competitive taunts and jabs. The game had ended with all of them more than a little drunk, Erin a few hundred doubloons richer and Eric grumbling about princesses who robbed men while smiling.

It wasn't her fault she had a natural talent for throwing dice and Eric seemed to be lacking that particular pirate trait.

"I take your silence as an admission of guilt."

Erin snorted. "Nothing of the sort, D'Harper. Just remembering my well earned conquest of your gold," she taunted, smiling at him as she patted her hip where not only her own pouch of doubloons lay but also the ones she had won from her father and Eric.

Grunting at her taunt, Eric turned his gaze to the quickly approaching wall of Agrabah. "You cheated."

"I didn't cheat, D'Harper. I was just better at the game than you."

"Please. You were as drunk as I was and yet you kept throwing winning hand after winning hand last night."

Erin shrugged. "Just means I can hold my rum better than you."

She had to bite her lip to keep from laughing at the choking sound the young pirate captain made beside her as well as the quiet snicker and chuckle that came from her parents who were riding a few feet ahead of them.

"On the contrary," he began after pulling himself together, "I think it means you had help in the form of some loaded dice again."

Erin smirked, her eyes remaining on her mother's back despite the fact she could _feel_ Eric looking at, almost daring her to deny the charge. He had always proclaimed she had used a loaded set the night they had met in that seaside tavern and she had denied it every time - even though it was the truth. She had honestly been surprised when he agreed to her father's suggestion of playing dice because he had adamantly refused to play with her since their first meeting. Although the fact her parents had been playing as well may have had something to do with his decision.

Looking away from her mother's back and to the man riding to her right, she saw him staring at her with one dark eyebrow raised as if to silently punctuate his comment from before. Smiling innocently she replied, "We weren't playing with my dice, D'Harper."

She watched as understanding dawned for him, his eyes narrowing in suspicion at her before looking away with a quiet huff. They both knew he couldn't claim she had used loaded dice to win when it was her father's set they had played with. Eric had even tested the dice before the first hand had been thrown and commented that they _hadn't_ been loaded.

As the four of them entered one of Agrabah's outer gates she turned her attention away from the young pirate captain to her parents, mindful to keep a tighter hold on her camel's reins now that they were within the city as she contemplated the couple in front of her. Her parents had been through so much since they met all those years ago - numerous curses, physical separations, hundreds of attacks from a multitude of villains - but each one had only served to strengthen the love between the Savior and her Captain. The previous endeavor had been no different. It had been two months since her mother was trapped within the wall of ice while under one of the most powerful sleeping curses and life for her parents had resumed as if the entire incident had never occurred. Her mother had instantly falling back into her Savior duties as her father helped her grandfather stabilize the kingdom after years of Ingrid's attacks. The affection shown between the married couple had grown as well. She had noticed more lingering looks between the pair and when they were in the same room they always reached for each other, whether it be to hold the other's hand or to simply touch their arm.

Not that those things had been uncommon for her parents before a few months ago but they most certainly had increased in frequency.

As she watched them her mother reached out with her right hand to grasp her father's hook that lay against his left thigh, her head turning slightly to reveal the happy smile she was giving her husband. Returning the smile her father raised his hook arm to place a gentle kiss to the back of her mother's hand before winking at the Savior. The act made her mother's shoulders shake with quiet laughter as the woman turned her attention back to the street before them, her hand still firmly wrapped around the metal hook.

She was about to make a comment about public displays of affection when a colorful curse from Eric sounded to her right.

"Why must it be so bloody hot?" the young pirate captain groaned as he tried in vain to keep his sweat soaked shirt from sticking to his chest, an act Erin refused to admit she was even watching.

"This is Agrabah, D'Harper," her father stated, making no attempt to hide the laughter in his voice over the other man's physical discomfort.

As Eric quietly grumbled some retort to her father's back Erin snickered, noting how her father looked over his shoulder at her with a conspiratorial wink at the sound. Eric wasn't wrong in his declaration, however. Within the city the heat seemed to be even worse than it was outside in the open desert, the mass of bodies crammed into close quarters making it almost unbearable and she was beginning to see the appeal in wearing the light but scandalous clothes most of the women walking by them were in. Her current attire of leather pants and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up was just not cutting it in the Agrabahian heat and she knew the rest of her traveling party felt the same. Her own father had opted not to wear his trademark leather great coat or a vest for most of their trip through the desert.

"Perhaps we should look into getting clothes more suited for the climate," Erin suggested, ignoring the raised eyebrow Eric shot her way.

Her mother nodded. "I agree. I'm about to cook in these leather pants just riding, I can't imagine how I'm going to feel when I actually have to move _around_ in this heat."

"Aye, probably is for the best," her father conceded. "The marketplace is this way."

They followed the tight alley between stone buildings for a short while until it ended, opening to a large expansion of land in the middle of the city that held the largest marketplace Erin had ever seen. Mile upon mile of tents were set up, ranging in colors from white to brown to red with some small enough to fit only a few people in and others so large she was certain the entire castle staff back home could freely walk around in. Each one was filled to the brim with different merchandise and an enthusiastic seller in the doorway that beckoned for those walking down the makeshift streets to come in and look at their wares. Music plucked from instruments she had never seen before and conversations filled the air around them as the scent of a multitude of spices and food filled her nose. Following her father to an open area to the right of the nearest tents, they dismounted from their camels and handed the reigns over to a young boy who couldn't be no older than twelve. Her mother discreetly waved her hand to no doubt put a concealing spell on their mounts to ensure their possessions wouldn't be taken while they wandered the vast marketplace.

They had barely taken more than a few steps when a raven haired woman wearing black harem pants and a cropped, strapless top walked past them, the fabric of her garments sheer enough to show the world what lay beneath them. She seemed to pause for a moment as her eyes landed on Erin's father, raking him up and down before lifting one dark eyebrow.

"Nice to see you again, _Captain_ ," the woman greeted, a smirk evident beneath the sheer piece of fabric that covered the lower half of her face.

Erin's eyes widened as her father gave the woman a strained smile. "Isabella," he greeted, his eyes firmly on the woman's half-covered face. Bowing her head in acknowledgement of his greeting the woman turned and continued the way she had been heading, her hips swaying rhythmically beneath the sheer fabric of her pants. All eyes turned from the retreating woman back to her father who cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Isabella is- ah… an old acquaintance of mine."

"Oh, is that what we're calling it nowadays?" Eric quipped with a cheeky grin and Erin wished the sand would envelope her because she did _not_ need to know this about her father.

"Acquaintance, huh?" Erin's mother asked, unable to hide her own smile as she teased her husband. Erin had never seen her father turn as red as he did at his wife's words, even the tips of his pointed ears flushing darkly.

"Clothes are this way," he quickly stated, his voice slightly higher than normal.

The flush on her father's cheeks only deepened when her mother commented on the _very_ sheer fabric of the woman's clothes.

* * *

Emma glanced at her reflection in the full length mirror that was situated within the dressing area of the garment tent as she re tied her hair into a loose braid.

While not something she would normally wear, she had to admit the clothes of this realm were comfortable and conducive to battling the oppressing heat from the desert that surrounded the city. Her leather pants had been replaced with a pair of red harem pants, the fabric light enough to keep her encased legs cool. A matching cropped off-the-shoulder top in matching red took the place of the black shirt she had acquired from her husband earlier that morning with a single ruby hanging from the front of the fabric, the gem gently brushing the skin of her stomach. All in all, it reminded her of the red outfit Jasmine had worn in the Disney movie. It was by far one of the most revealing and outlandish things she had worn since her family had returned to the Enchanted Forest but if it meant not dying of a heatstroke she could live with it during their duration here in Agrabah.

 _At least it wasn't completely see through_ she thought, chuckling as she remembered how adorably embarrassed her husband had been after the encounter with the brothel woman. She had known long before she married him that Killian hadn't been celibate in those long centuries between Milah's death and meeting her and while jealousy didn't flare within her, she most certainly could tease her husband about his past _liaisons_. Especially if it made him blush like _that_.

Translocating the clothes she had worn to the pack that resided back on her camel, she slipped into the golden sandals the shop merchant had provided and made her way out of the dressing area. She instantly felt the difference as a hot wind gently blew through the oversized tent and she sighed in relief. Killian stood off to one side admiring the selection of clothes but when he heard her sigh and looked toward her his eyes lit up, his perusal of the many fabrics abandoned as he made his way toward her with a familiar swagger to his step.

"Oh, Swan… that outfit is most becoming on you."

Emma rolled her eyes at the compliment. "Killian, I could be wearing a potato sack and you'd think I was beautiful."

"True," her husband conceded, invading her personal space in that way he had done since before Neverland. "But a sack wouldn't show off so much of that delectable skin or be in such a lovely shade."

She hummed at his response, hands running up the fabric of his black shirt to settle on his broad shoulders. A shiver of pleasure ran down her spine as she felt his warm hand slide along her exposed back. "I may have picked this color because I knew it was your favorite."

"Is that so?" he murmured, pulling her flush to him until she could feel the heat from his body through the fabric of her new clothes. "You may need to keep this attire past our little adventure here, love."

Emma chuckled, her nose bumping against his playfully. "Never knew this was your thing, old man."

"Neither did I," he responded, tilting his head so she could feel the movement of his lips as he spoke. "But it's definitely something I'm willing to try."

"Sweet Hera, take me now."

Not moving from her husband's embrace, Emma turned her head to see Erin standing on the other side of the tent trying to look anywhere but at her parents.

"Don't act like you don't know what happens between married people, kid," she teased, turning her head back to give her husband a quick kiss before making her way toward their daughter.

"That doesn't mean I want to _see_ it happening with my parents," Erin said, giving her a pointed look that had Emma grinning.

Erin had changed from her own traveling clothes into an off-the-shoulder full length gown, the fabric a light purple that contrasted well with her daughter's blonde hair and sunkissed complexion. The sleeves were long but made in the same style as Emma's pants to keep the wearer cool and a large emerald brooch rested low on the hip area of the dress. Emma nodded toward the outfit her daughter wore with a raised eyebrow.

"A dress?"

Erin shrugged. "There isn't a corset so I can breath and besides, it means I can still wear these."

Emma chuckled at the sight of leather boots beneath the ultra feminine dress, knowing full well her daughter had a tendency to wear them even beneath the ball gowns Snow forced her into every now and then for official palace functions.

"Are you going to change, dad?"

Looking up from her daughter's boots Emma noticed for the first time since coming out of the dressing area that her husband was still wearing his leather pants and black shirt, the buttons undone almost to his naval.

"I'm fine, love. Not the first time I've worn leather in the Agrabahian heat."

"Clearly," Emma teased, smirking internally when that blush returned to her husband's tanned cheeks. _Oh she was going to have so much fun with him while they were here._ "Alright, we're all changed and better prepared for the heat. Let's head over to the palace and-"

"Bloody hell that feels so much better!"

Emma turned toward the voice to see Eric coming out the dressing area designated for males, his leather pants and shirt wadded in one hand. He was dressed in a pair of off-white harem pants with a billowing shirt of the same shade, a black a sash tied around his waist and his own boots on his feet. She was about to translocate his personal clothes to the pack on his camel so they could head to the palace when she noticed the dazed look on the young pirate captain's face. Emma wasn't surprised in the least bit to find the source responsible for that look was her daughter.

"Erin, you look…" Eric trailed off as he took in Erin's outfit from head to toe with an appreciative twinkle in his eyes, one that she noticed made her usually hard to compliment daughter blush.

A heavy sigh to her left had Emma turning her head to see her husband's gaze flickering between Erin and Eric, a look of resignation etched into his handsome features. Smiling in sympathy she gently bumped his right shoulder with her own.

"You seem pretty calm for a father whose watching a man check his daughter out," she whispered, knowing her daughter and Eric were too caught up in sizing each other up to pay her any attention.

"The urge to gut him is still there, Swan," Killian grumbled and she didn't miss the slight twitch in his left arm at his words. "But I know his intentions and they are honorable… as honorable as a pirate's can be, at least." Emma smirked at the fact her husband had just inadvertently insulted his own ex-profession while trying to slight Eric.

"Would you say he's… growing on you?"

Her husband threw her a look that clearly said _don't throw my own words back at me, Swan_ before he moved toward the younger pirate captain. "Come along, D'Harper. I've got an informant you and I can speak with."

Emma watched her daughter shake her head as Killian's words brought her out off her dazed appreciation of Eric's new attire. "I thought we were meeting Princess Jasmine about the ingredient?" Erin asked, her brow furrowing.

Taking Eric's clothes and tossing them to the tent floor, Killian nodded as he turned the young captain toward the door. "We do, love, but my informant here may have information the palace hasn't been able to acquire."

"But, dad-"

"You and your mother do some shopping while we're gone - we'll meet you where we left the camels in an hour."

As Killian and Eric left the garment tent, her husband practically prodding the younger man ahead of him, Emma took note of the almost concealed fear on her daughter's face and made a mental note to have a discussion with her about it later.

* * *

"So do you really have an informant or was that just a ruse to get me alone so you could reprimand me?"

Killian turned his head to look at the young pirate captain walking beside him, one dark eyebrow raised high on his forehead.

"What would I need to reprimand you over exactly?" He watched Eric's cheeks which had been reddened from the sun turn a shade darker.

"I-uh… Well, back at the tent..."

" _Oh_ , you mean when you were blatantly admiring my daughter?"

Killian smirked internally as Eric stumbled slightly at his blunt question, nearly running into an older woman who glared at the young pirate captain. He may have accepted the fact that his daughter had fallen in love with Eric but it didn't mean he couldn't have some fun at the other man's expense once and awhile. He let him flounder for a few more seconds as they made their way down the crowded streets of Agrabah's marketplace before chuckling.

"I'm not going to string you up and gut you, Eric. I may not like it - and I certainly don't want to _see_ her being admired like that, mind you - but my daughter is a grown woman. However much I detest that fact sometimes." Killian sighed at the very skeptical look being given to him. "Trust me D'Harper, if some random man were to look at Erin like that I wouldn't think twice about showing him the pointed end of my hook but you don't - well it's not _entirely_ …" Not wanting to put his daughter's name and the words _sexual manner_ in the same sentence, he found himself stumbling over his words now.

"I know what your intentions are with her," he finally finished, chancing a quick glance at the other man from the corner of his eye. Eric's gaze was straight ahead on the street they were walking down but his brow was furrowed in deep thought. In all the years Killian had known Eric, particularly since he had learned of his daughter's feelings for the man, they had never discussed the obvious feelings the young pirate held for Erin. Not that Killian _wanted_ to have that conversation. He may not be as regimented in his protectiveness as his father-in-law had been with Emma but discussing any man's affections for his daughter was still not something he looked forward too…

"I love her."

Coming to a stop in the middle of the busy street, Killian waited for Eric to turn toward him before he responded. As he expected, the young pirate captain met his gaze straight on without the slightest trace of fear or regret over his words and Killian felt his respect for the other man grow just a little bit more at the action.

"I know," he responded sincerely, "And I know she doesn't make loving her easy with the walls she has."

"She's worth it," Eric replied without hesitation.

 _Right answer, mate._ "That she is," Killian conceded with a nod of his head. "Just as her mother was. I understand all too well the path you are on with Erin and perhaps that's why it's easier to accept this time around…" Trailing off at the thought of Matthew, the man who had sacrificed himself to protect Erin and Hope, Killian shook his head. "The point I'm trying to make is that despite _never_ wanting to see you look at her like that, I'm not going to reprimand you for doing so. Erin is her mother's daughter and wouldn't allow me to anyway. She may not be ready to give what she feels for you a name but she's certainly not unsheathing her sword in revulsion at your… _attention_."

The slight widening of Eric's eyes would have gone unnoticed if Killian were a less observant man.

"You- You think she feels the same way about me?"

Chuckling, Killian started walking again. "D'Harper, she took a pulley to the temple two months ago to protect you. If that doesn't answer your question I don't know what will, mate."

Silence fell between the two men as they made their way down the street, each lost in their own thoughts over the rather open conversation they had just shared. The marketplace was packed as it was peak shopping time for the day and it wasn't long before they were having to walk one behind the other to get through the throng of people crowding the narrow stretch of sand. They passed a handful of merchant tents selling spices that were strong enough to set a grown man's stomach ablaze and a dozen or more that housed weapons even Killian had never seen in his long life. Just as they were reaching the end of the street Killian stopped outside a dingy brown colored tent, the crude sign nailed to a post in front of it advertising the wares within as _Exotic and Dangerous Artifacts._ Eric raised an eyebrow at the name but followed Killian in without a word.

The inside of the merchant tent was crammed with row upon row of tables that overflowed with artifacts of varying sizes, ranging from as small as a doubloon to as large as a ship's helm. Wooden bookcases that looked like they were about to fall apart at any second lined the tent's walls on both sides and were filled to the brim with trinkets and ancient texts. Statues as tall as the two men were scattered throughout the room, some missing an appendage or with badly damaged faces and the brightly lit lanterns that hung from from every available surface reflected brilliantly off the gold and silver artifacts.

As they walked in a short and slightly hunched man dressed in rags appeared from nowhere to their left, startling Eric and causing Killian to bite his lip to keep from chuckling at the reaction.

"And how may I help you gentleman today?" the man asked with a wide grin, his dark eyes glittering as he took in the well tailored clothes both of them wore and the money pouches hanging from their hips. "Perhaps I could interest you in the ancient ointment jars of-"

"That won't be necessary," Killian interrupted, squaring his shoulders and taking the stance his wife had always termed his 'Captain stance'. "We're here to see your master if you would be so kind as to fetch him."

To make sure the little man wouldn't object and try to continue to sell them something he pointedly raised his left arm to rest on the pommel of the sword at his side. The man's eyes widened considerably as Killian's hook caught the light of one of the lamps and he quickly nodded.

"Yes, of course," he stammered, practically sending a slew of artifacts tumbling to the ground in his haste to depart. Killian grinned at Eric as the man rushed toward the back of the tent.

"The hook has its advantages, I must say."

Eric chuckled but eyed the merchant tent around them wearily. "Are you sure this is a reputable establishment? It seems a bit… shady."

Killian raised an eyebrow at the young pirate captain as he moved to exam some of the artifacts on the nearest table. "Surely you had unreputable dealings when you were pirating."

"Not really," Eric murmured, moving himself toward one of the bookcases. "I never got into the buying and selling of stolen goods side of our profession, just attacked royal ships. I kept what I could use of their cargo and gave the rest away."

That gave Killian pause and he turned his head to study Eric's back as the other man looked through a book. He knew him and Eric had shared a profession but he was unaware they had both targeted royalty in their pirating days. It made sense - most pirates did since that was were the most loot could be found - but there was something in Eric's voice as he made the comment that spoke to a deeper meaning than simply wanting the best haul. Almost as if there was an emotional reason for doing so…

"How old were you when you raised the crimson flag for the first time?" he asked, genuinely curious. Eric shrugged without turning around.

"Sixteen, I believe. I became part of a local captain's crew and slowly worked my way through the ranks. Became Captain of the _Mermaid's Mist_ when I was twenty-one and the rest, as they say, is history."

Killian nodded, his fingers absently running over the smooth gold of a miniature statue. He had been about the same age as Eric when he became a captain himself, burning the Pegasus sail and renaming the Naval ship to complete his descent into piracy. The memory had him frowning as he realised he knew nothing of Eric's life prior to the man becoming a pirate. He had never mentioned his family or if any of them were alive and he was almost certain no one, not even Erin, knew what kingdom Eric hailed form.

"What did you do before becoming a pirate?"

The instant stiffening of Eric's shoulders didn't go unnoticed by the older pirate. "Nothing," Eric quickly replied, his tone short and clipped. "I was just an average citizen who decided piracy was the easiest way to make money."

He may not have his wife's ability to tell when someone was lying but the sixth sense that had gotten Killian through three centuries tingled at Eric's words. There was something about D'Harper's past he didn't want anyone to know about, a hidden truth that Killian would bet every doubloon he owned was connected to the emotion he had heard in the other man's voice when he spoke of attacking royal ships.

Before he could question Eric anymore a rustling sound came from the back of the tent and Killian turned his head to see a large, middle-aged man dressed in the finest silks walking toward him.

"Captain!"

Killian smiled in greeting to his old informant and moved around the artifact laden tables to warmly clasp the other man's hand.

"Cassim! It's been too long, mate!"

"A good three decades," the merchant replied, laughing. "I thought for sure the sea had finally claimed you but then a few years back I heard that you had settled down, married a princess of some sort?"

Killian nodded as his smile grew. "Aye, Princess Emma of Misthaven. We have two children as well, a boy and girl."

"That's splendid!" Cassim responded, clapping Killian on the arm. "Family life suits you, Captain, and I'm sure you're wife is the most beautiful woman in the land." Giving him a once over the merchant added, "You're holding up well for your age as well, I must say. Aside from the graying hair you don't look any differently than the last time I saw you."

"Curses, while horrible on the memory, are apparently good for the skin," Killian offered with a grin. Turning slightly he extended his hook toward Eric. "Cassim, this a close friend of the family, Captain Eric D'Harper."

The merchant extended his hand as Eric came to stand next to Killian. "Always a pleasure to meet another captain."

"I'm sure," Eric muttered but his less than warm response was ignored by the other man as Cassim clasped his hands behind his back.

"My employee told me you wanted to see me specifically?"

Killian nodded. "We're in search of something and I was hoping you'd have information on its whereabouts."

"Well you've certainly come to the right place," Cassim responded, gesturing to the tent around them. "If I don't have it in stock or can't get my hands on it I'm almost certain to know something of its whereabouts. What is it that's tickled your fancy this time, Captain?"

"A notched palm branch. Specifically, Heh's notched palm branch."

Cassim's eyes widened slightly. "That's a rather extravagant artifact for a sea captain to be searching for."

"Is there such a thing as too extravagant when it comes to a pirate?" Eric asked, earning a belly laugh from Cassim.

"Excellent point, Captain D'Harper!" Turning to Killian he said, "I know of the artifact you seek. It belong to the God Heh, keeper of time. It's rare, to be sure, and I unfortunately do not have possession of it but I can consult my records to see if I know where you might locate it."

Killian smiled. "I and all of Misthaven would be forever grateful if you could."

"Of course, and please feel free to look around while you wait. You never know, you may find something that beautiful wife of yours would enjoy. The only thing I suggest you don't touch is that nasty piece of jewelry over there."

Killian and Eric turned their heads to look where Cassim was pointing and both men's eyes widened upon seeing the item. Hanging from the uplifted arm of one of the many statues around the shop was a solid gold necklace, it's chain thick and interwoven like the braids Emma sometimes put into her hair. But what had both pirates gawking was the pendant. It was the likeness of a cat's face and made of gold just like the chain it hung from, the entire pendant the size of Killian's hand when it was outstretched. Emeralds made up the cat's eyes with diamonds marking the creature's whiskers and a single ruby perfectly cut into the shape of a triangle acted as the cat's nose. It wasn't the most exquisite or outrageous piece of jewelry he had seen in 300 years but the fact that it was made completely of gold called to the pirate that would forever reside within him.

"What is it?" Killian asked, his eyes never leaving the enticing necklace.

"And why can't we touch it?" Eric quickly threw in.

"That, gentleman, is the Medallion of Bastet," Cassim informed them, his voice grave. "It is said to have been forged by Ra himself for the Goddess Bastet. Protector of Agrabah and mother to all cats, Bastet wore it until her final battle with Apep where it was lost to time until it came into my possession some years ago. The medallion has a dark history of bringing change to all those who touch it which is why I advise you not to - wouldn't want to alter either of your good looks. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go see about the location of that artifact you have inquired about."

As Cassim disappeared to the back of the tent Killian moved his gaze from the stunning necklace to Eric.

"Did you ever find that someone telling you _not_ to touch something generally had the opposite effect?"

"Most certainly," Eric replied as he moved toward the item in question with Killian following right beside him. "It makes it forbidden and who isn't tempted to touch something they aren't supposed to?"

"Far stronger men than I."

Coming to a stop mere inches from the artifact, both men leaned forward to better admire the way the light from the lamps sparkled within the stones.

"What do you suppose he meant by 'bringing change?"

"Not sure," Killian replied, his attention solely on the pendant before his eyes. This close he could see tiny inscriptions in the ancient Agrabahian language at the top of the cat's head, the hieroglyphs so small he couldn't have made them out even if it was one of the seven languages he knew. "Most of the dark histories surrounding items like this have to do with nothing more than bad luck."

"And as pirates we make our own luck."

"Bloody damn right we do."

Killian couldn't explain why he felt the urge to touch the medallion. He had come across countless gold objects when he was a pirate, even a few since he hung up the crimson flag and became a hero again, but there was something about this one that called to him. It was almost begging him to touch it, an invisible pull that he felt to the very depths of his being and one Eric clearly felt as well.

Without another word between them they both reached for the necklace at the same time, their eyes never leaving the beautifully crafted pendant as their fingers barely brushed along the diamonds imbedded in the gold. Killian felt a familiar warmth beneath his fingers at the contact, one that reminded him of the way Emma's skin felt when her magic flared in times of passion and before he could blink the sensation was racing up his arm and covering his entire body. There was a split second where nothing happened and then he felt the world around him begin to shift, an ethereal voice in the back of his mind saying something in a language he didn't know as the warmth around him intensified, seeming to pulsate outward with every beat of his heart. He closed his eyes against the overwhelming sensation and the voice became louder, the words still unknown to him.

When the warmth finally dissipated and the voice faded away he opened his eyes, startling slightly when the base of the statute came into view instead of the necklace he had been looking at seconds before. Frowning, or feeling like he was despite his mouth not making the movement, he turned his head toward Eric and his eyes widened in shock. Where the young pirate captain had been before now stood a black cat, peridot green eyes gazing back at him in absolute horror. He opened his mouth to say the other man's name but all that came out was a very distressed and confused meow.

 _Bloody hell! They'd been turned into cats!_

* * *

"You think Grandma will like her birthday present?"

Emma looked up from adjusting the bodice of her new attire to see Erin strapping one of the many purchases they had made to her camel. It was a beautifully crafted bow, the ends seeming to curl in a design that clearly marked it as having been made by Elvish hands. The hickory it was made from was painted a pale green and simplistic, black silhouettes of birds in flight adorned the outer surface.

"Kid, it's an Elvish made bow. I think it's safe to say you're going to win best present this year."

Erin chuckled as she adjusted the present one last time before moving to lean against the wooden railing their camels were tethered to. "At least we managed to do some productive shopping while we waited on dad and Eric."

"Hmmm, indeed," Emma agreed, thinking of the barely there garment she had purchased for more intimate times with her husband while Erin had been haggling the price of the bow. Taking the spot next to her daughter along the railing she turned her attention back toward the marketplace.

After watching Killian all but shove Eric out of the garment tent her and Erin had wandered the marketplace for awhile, taking in the exotic animals for sale and the thousands upon thousands of trinkets that lined the merchant's tents. It had everything from simple bracelets to elaborate mirrors she was certain Regina would enact another curse to own. When they had walked almost the entire length of the marketplace and purchased gifts for just about every family member mother and daughter had made their way back to where they had left their camels at, per her husband's departing instructions, to wait for the two men to return.

That had been over an hour ago however and there was still no sign of either pirate captain.

"I wonder what's taking them so long," she mused, eyes traveling over the crowd of people milling about the entrance to the marketplace in search of the familiar head of dark hair.

"You know how dad can get when he's charming information out of someone. And I'm sure Eric isn't helping matters."

At the mention of the younger pirate captain Emma swung her gaze from the crowd of shoppers to Erin, noting her daughter had pulled a map of the city from her camel's satchel and was studying it intently even as the fingers of her right hand fidgeted nervously along the edge of the parchment.

"Yes, he can be as verbose as your father sometimes," Emma began, her head tilting slightly so she could better read her daughter's reaction to her next words. "But I must say, you're handling him not being around quite well."

As she expected, Erin didn't look up from the map but Emma clearly saw the panic flash across her daughter's profile. "Why wouldn't I? He's a grown man - he can go off and do whatever he wants. Or be dragged off to go wherever in this case."

Emma hummed in agreement. "He can, yes, and I suspect the reason you aren't completely worried right now is because he's with your father and you trust your father with your very life."

"I'm not worried."

"Then why are your fingers doing the nervous tick you inherited from your father?"

Erin's fingers instantly ceased their restless movement and she turned her head to look at Emma, her face set in an emotionless mask as good as Emma use to wear herself. "I'm not worried," she repeated but it was a testament to just how worried she really was that she didn't even try to hide the lie from the woman who she knew could see it as clearly as an oracle saw the future.

"Yes, you are," Emma said softly, knowing from how she use to react to direct confrontation about her emotions that she had to take a gentle approach with her daughter. "And it's okay to worry about him when he's not around."

"I'm not-" Erin huffed, shaking her head. "Why would you think I was worried about him?"

"Because ever since the battle with Maleficent you've not let that man stay out of your sight for more than five minutes if you can help it."

She saw a myriad of emotions cross her daughter's face at her words - shock, a flash of anger, denial - until finally acceptance settled on her delicate features. Erin sighed heavily as she began to roll the map up.

"Has it been that obvious?" she murmured, turning to place the parchment back in her satchel with a bit more force than was necessary.

"Not to everyone," Emma assured her, giving her daughter a comforting smile once the younger blonde had turned back toward her. "But I'm you mother and while I may not be as observant as you and your father, I _do_ notice these types of things where my children are concerned."

Groaning, Erin crossed her arms. "I didn't even realise I was doing it until last week. I just… Seeing him there, in _that_ courtyard and held prisoner by Maleficent… It brought back a lot of emotions from when Matthew died."

Emma's heart clenched as Erin's voice broke slightly on her husband's name. Matthew's death was an emotional wound no length of time could heal, a scar Erin would forever carry on her heart and Emma's hatred for Maleficent increased once again for putting the haunted look in her little girl's eyes. Reaching with her left hand she tucked a stray piece of her daughter's hair that had come undone from her ponytail behind her ear.

"It made you feel helpless again and now you're afraid if you let Eric out of your sight you're going to lose him somehow." Emma smiled sadly as Erin nodded her head. "It's an understandable reaction, kid, one I know all too well."

Erin's eyes which had fallen to the sand beneath their feet after her nod of agreement shot up at her mother's words. "You do?" she whispered in that same voice she use to get when she was a small child and a thunderstorm had sent her to Emma and Killian's bed for comfort.

"Of course I do. I was the same way for a long time after Rumple took your father's heart and I know you were too young to remember, but after we brought you and your brother back from Neverland I didn't let Liam out of my sight for a good six months. It's a natural reaction to have when you've almost lost someone you love."

The spluttering sound her daughter made would have been comical if not for the absolute terror that replaced the haunted look in her eye.

"I-I'm not… No, I'm absolutely not in love with Eric D'Harper!"

Emma wisely bit the inside of her cheek to keep from pointing out that usually when a person perfused _that_ much and _that_ vehemently, it meant the opposite of what they were saying. Twenty-eight years may have passed since she was a damaged soul with walls barricading her heart but she could still remember the instinctual fear that had gripped her the first time her own mother had commented on her having any sort of emotion toward Killian. Erin could admit she cared for Eric and was even afraid of losing him but she still refused to accept that what she felt for the young pirate went deeper - even if everyone around her could see it plain as day.

She started to amend her last sentence - because while Erin was like her father on many levels emotionally she was Emma Jones's daughter to a fault - but before she could say anything twin agitated meows had her looking down to see two black cats standing at her and Erin's feet. They would have been identical except the front left paw of the one closest to her was white while the other one was completely black. Their eyes were different too - the pure black one had light green eyes and the one with the white paw had blue eyes so bright they reminded her of the aquamarine stones in the necklace Killian had given her for one of their many wedding anniversaries.

"Oh, well hello," she cooed down at the felines, smiling when the blue eyed one looked at her and meowed again. "And where did you come from?"

"Probably got away from some merchant," Erin commented absentmindedly even as the green eyed cat butted his head against the toe of her boot that was visible beneath her dress. "And more than likely covered in fleas."

Twin indigent meows sounded loudly and Emma chuckled, watching the blue-eyed one rub against the fabric covering her legs. "They're probably just hungry," she responded, playfully tapping the cat at her feet on the flanks and earning herself a rather annoyed look from the feline - if cats could give such looks. The green-eyed cat seemed a little less rigid than the blue-eyed one, nipping at Erin's leather boots and batting at her dress as if it were his favorite toy, all the while giving little meows that sounded more like a bird chirping than the sound a cat normally made.

Emma nodded her head toward the cat at her daughter's feet. "He seems to have taken a liking to you."

"Apparently," Erin agreed, bending down to gently extract the cat's claws from her dress before picking the feline up and cradling him in her arms. "Do you think Hope would like him as a pet?"

A sneeze she thought sounded an awful lot like a laugh came from the vicinity of her feet as the cat in Erin's arms meowed in protest, his green eyes narrowing at her daughter as if to say _do I look like I'm someone's pet?_

"Well, you know Hope - she's like your grandfather and takes in every wounded creature that crosses her path."

Erin chuckled - no doubt remembering the maimed crab the little girl had made Killian save once on a sailing trip despite the fact the animal had latched onto the pirate's thumb quite viciously and refused to let go. The green-eyed cat seemed to be resisting Erin's attempts to pet him but gave in once she began to scratch right behind his ears, his purr of contentment loud despite the sounds of the marketplace not far from them. The cat at Emma's feet was becoming even more aggressive with his attempts to get her attention, nipping at her legs through the red silk and after the third time Emma leaned down with a huff to pick him up, raising an eyebrow at his too adorable whiskered face before she plopped him down on the railing between her and Erin. He seemed to take offense to her manhandling of him and meowed in protest but only glared at her for a moment before he willingly accepted the hand she ran down his back.

"Such a drama queen," she muttered, smirking as the blue-eyed cat's nose wrinkled at her assessment of him.

After a few seconds of giving the overly dramatic cat attention Emma sighed and turned to look back at the throng of people still standing around the entrance to the marketplace, a frown pulling at her lips. Killian and Eric may know how to drag out a conversation but it was a little odd for them to be gone this long, particularly when her former Naval husband had given her a specific time to meet him. She was about to suggest they go in search of the two wayward pirate captains when Erin spoke.

"Mom, about what you said earlier…"

Turning her gaze back to her daughter she saw Erin stead fastly looking at the cat in her arms but Emma could see the pinch to her daughter's brow and hear the slight tremor that had accompanied her voice as she spoke. She internally kicked herself for using the L word when talking about Eric earlier - she should have known it would freak Erin out.

"I misspoke," she quickly replied, letting her hand fall to the wooden railing as the blue-eyed cat moved away from her touch and toward Erin. "That's how _I_ felt towards those involved but of course it's not how you feel. But what I said before still stands - it's okay to feel that level of worry… even for a friend."

Erin looked up from beneath her blonde eyebrows and Emma gave her an encouraging smile, knowing her daughter believed the lie about her misspeaking as much as Emma had believed Erin when she said she wasn't in love with Eric. Taking the lie with a grateful nod, Erin cleared her throat.

"So how did you overcome it? The worry, I mean."

"Well, I-"

Emma paused as her eyes fell to the blue-eyed cat, her train of thought momentarily derailed as she took the feline in. He was sitting on his back legs and looking up at Erin, his tail swishing back and forth on the other side of the railing and his whiskers slightly lowered as if… like he was _concerned_ for her daughter. Which was impossible, she told herself - it was a cat, not a human being - but she couldn't shake the feeling that that was exactly what was going on.

Before she could pull her gaze away from the strange cat to answer her daughter's question it turned back toward her with a questioning meow. When Emma only raised an eyebrow at the feline he carefully made his way across the small expanse of railing to butt his head against her hand, more specifically her engagement ring. Looking back up at her he meowed once again, this time more urgently.

"What's with him?" Erin asked, still petting the green eyed cat that lay in her arms.

"I'm not sure," Emma mused, frowning when the cat repeated the head butt against her ring. "If I didn't know any better I would say he's trying to tell me something."

"He's a cat, mom. It's not like he's trying to communicate with you in the silent pirate language."

Emma hummed in agreement but kept watching the cat, noticing he was becoming slightly agitated the more he bopped his head on her ring without her getting the meaning. He gave one last head butt to the large blue stone Killian had given her atop the beanstalk and sat back on his haunches. Looking directly at her, he meowed and raised his white paw like it was a...

Emma's heart thudded frantically against her chest as she scooped up the agitated cat, an act that earned her an annoyed meow and brought his furry face to within inches of her own. _It couldn't be._ But it all made sense. The cat's insistence to get her attention, his concern for Erin as she talked about her fear, the head butting of her engagement ring, his one white paw…. and his eyes. Those blue eyes that were familiar to her as her own, the ones who had been staring at her for over twenty-eight years now.

Looking at the cat that hung limply in her hands she whispered," Are you….?"

There was a second where nothing happened and Emma started to write her crazy theory off as having experienced too much of the Agrabahian sun but then the blue eyed cat tilted his head just the smallest fraction, his fur covered forehead pressing against her own and she knew. _She knew._

"Oh my god! The cats! Erin… _the cats are your father and Eric!_ "

* * *

 **Little history lesson for those who don't know:**

 **Nyx is the Greek Goddess of Night and Helios was the personification of the Sun in Greek mythology. Heh was an Egyptian deity who was connected to eternity and endlessness while Bastet was the Egyptian Goddess of Cats.**


End file.
